Community
RATCH-Australia
Our Communities
Our projects become part of the local community for around 30 years. This brings a responsibility to the communities that host our assets that we take extremely seriously.
At every stage of a project’s life cycle we will create opportunities for local people to get in touch with us, to ask questions and give us their opinions.
This will always include a combination of face-to-face and online engagement from the development stage through to full operations.
Not only do our new renewable energy projects deliver significant quantities of much-needed safe, clean, reliable electricity, but they also bring opportunities to the local area.
For example, whenever we build a new project, we seek to make as much use as possible of local skills and expertise. This means local companies offering a wide range of services will have the chance to win business and new jobs will be created for local people.
We have established lasting relationships with schools and groups at our oldest wind farms, while the newer additions to our portfolio come complete with Community Funds to ensure the financial benefits are shared with the neighbouring area.
RATCH-Australia
Best Practice Charter
As a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Community Engagement Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Developments, RATCH-Australia Corporation works respectfully with the communities in which we work. We commit to being sensitive to environmental and cultural values, aiming to support social and economic growth in the regions in which we operate.
The voluntary set of commitments that we will uphold when developing and operating our energy projects are:
- We will engage respectfully with the local community, including Traditional Owners of the land, to seek their views and input before submitting a development application and finalising the design of the project.
- We will provide timely information and be accessible and responsive in addressing the local community’s feedback and concerns throughout the life of the project.
- We will be sensitive to areas of high biodiversity, cultural and landscape value in the design and operation of projects.
- We will minimise the impacts on highly productive agricultural land and explore opportunities to integrate agricultural production.
- We will consult the community on the potential visual, noise, traffic and other impacts of the project, and on the mitigation options.
- We will support the local economy by providing local employment and procurement opportunities.
- We will offer communities the opportunity to share in the benefits of the project, and consult them on the options available, including the relevant governance arrangements.
- We commit to using the project to support educational and tourism opportunities where appropriate.
- We will demonstrate responsible land stewardship over the life of the project and welcome opportunities to enhance the ecological, cultural and/or agricultural value of the land.
- During the life of the project, we will recycle waste materials where feasible and commit to responsible decommissioning or refurbishment/repowering of the site at the end of the project’s life.
RATCH-Australia
Community Enhancement Funds
RATCH-Australia has invested more than $2 million over the past five years in the local communities where we operate.
We strive to be a good neighbour at every stage of a project’s lifespan, from early development through to full operations and decommissioning of our assets. The assets continue to have a positive impact on their communities through formal community benefit funds at Mt Emerald and Collector wind farms. Additionally, RATCH-Australia makes direct corporate contributions to assist local communities and sponsor events.
In 2023 alone, 26 organisations received more than $530,000. These programs are designed to contribute to building community resilience, assisting sporting organisations, school programs and local cultural events in close proximity to our operational sites.
For sponsorship enquiries please email enquiries@ratchaustralia.com or find out more about the community benefit funds available below.
Every year we distribute $200,000 + CPI over two rounds, one in January and the second in July, to local community groups that are located within 50 kilometers of Mount Emerald Wind Farm or 40km of Windy Hill Wind farm. More information here.
Once a year more than $270,000 is distributed in partnership with the local Upper Lachlan Shire Council to community groups located within a 10km radius of the Collector Wind Farm. Applications close in April. More information here.
Under the advice of three local residents more than $60,000 is distributed to community groups within 10 kilometers of the Collector Wind Farm. The grant rounds are held in February and August each year. More information here.
