# Helen Haines at Mt Beauty, CEN meeting Friday March 14th

**URL:** <https://community-energy.discourse.group/t/helen-haines-at-mt-beauty-cen-meeting-friday-march-14th/80>\
**Category:** CEN - NE Vic\
**Created:** [10 March 2025 04:16 UTC](https://community-energy.discourse.group/t/helen-haines-at-mt-beauty-cen-meeting-friday-march-14th/80 "2025-03-10T04:16:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeatherSmith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community-energy.discourse.group/heathersmith/32/4_2.png) [@HeatherSmith](https://community-energy.discourse.group/u/HeatherSmith)\
**Post date:** [10 March 2025 04:16 UTC](https://community-energy.discourse.group/t/helen-haines-at-mt-beauty-cen-meeting-friday-march-14th/80/1 "2025-03-10T04:16:01Z")

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Here’s the agenda, hope you can join us. Please reply with your thoughts on updates, questions and asks or add notes to the [rolling meeting log](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hTr59z0iL_ymyO5bmxM17uEVuWwRP9PMXvw_JMmAhFM/edit?usp=sharing):

- Meeting starts at 12:45 (room open from 12:30).

- 1pm - 1:45: Helen Haines will join us. Welcome from Nick Mason-Smith (Indigo), Facilitated by Rob Carolane (Indigo Power Foundation).

- Helen will be keen to hear our updates and questions.

- 2pm: Indigo Power and surplus solar - Nick Mason-Smith will provide a presentation about plans for 2025.

- Q & A

- Please **RSVP** by replying to this email

- Please [register](https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/x_JV_mK4RQWtjuHHVPllSA)also if you are joining us online

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**Author:** ![HeatherSmith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community-energy.discourse.group/heathersmith/32/4_2.png) [@HeatherSmith](https://community-energy.discourse.group/u/HeatherSmith)\
**Post date:** [4 April 2025 23:22 UTC](https://community-energy.discourse.group/t/helen-haines-at-mt-beauty-cen-meeting-friday-march-14th/80/2 "2025-04-04T23:22:59Z")

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The [meeting Minutes](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hTr59z0iL_ymyO5bmxM17uEVuWwRP9PMXvw_JMmAhFM/edit?usp=sharing) capture everyone’s updates. It is always so great to see how much work is underway. C4CE, TRY, Wangaratta Landcare & Sustainability, VicGrid, Sustainable Uppper Ovens, Alpine FM, Murrindindee Climate Network, GVCE, Totally Renewable Beechworth, ACF Albury Wodonga, Renewable Energy Benalla, Mitchell CE, Repower Shoalhaven and TREK were all there.

- [Link to video of Helen’s talk](https://us06web.zoom.us/clips/share/mQVRazTlT8SCYzXQd8iAlA)
- Link to [video of Nick’s talk](https://us06web.zoom.us/clips/share/kLmYFWIQQNKmSXnJv_94OQ)

**Key points from Helen Haines**  
In this parliament Helen has advocated for:

- Home Batteries bill

- Better access to ARENA for CE groups

- A tripling of the federal microgrid program

- Funding for CE hubs

- No-interest loans for batteries

- The Dyer review which resulted in recommendations for improved community engagement on grid-scale projects

In the next parliament, the future looks somewhat uncertain but Helen asserted that:

- CE groups do critical work with renters, low-income groups and other community groups

- there are signs that both sides of politics are open to providing home electrification support via low- or no-interest loans

She recommended that CE groups should:

- **lobby and work with their local MPs**

- **get their stories out there** (local papers will print local stories if you write the copy)

Check out Helen’s work [here](https://www.helenhaines.org/issues/climate-change-and-energy/).

**Key points from Nick, Indigo Power**

- Midday is a time of lots of solar generation and relatively little demand

- Indigo Power has looked at ways to:

- Resulting in the **Energy Shaper** plan for residential customers with its cheapest energy rate

- Reducing costs and

You can find out more [here](https://indigopower.com.au/the-energy-shapers-plan-is-here/).