TL;DR: The Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter is a landmark voluntary framework for developers of large-scale renewable projects in Australia. Through ten core commitments, signatories pledge to engage respectfully with local communities, respect high-biodiversity and agricultural lands, and maximize local economic benefits.
As Australia accelerates its transition toward a decarbonised energy grid, the scale and pace of new renewable energy developments have brought community engagement and environmental stewardship to the forefront of the industry. To guide developers through these complex local dynamics, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) administers the Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Projects. This voluntary framework outlines the high standards that signatories commit to upholding during the planning, construction, and long-term operation of large-scale renewable facilities and associated transmission infrastructure.
What is the Best Practice Charter?
The Best Practice Charter is a comprehensive set of commitments designed to ensure that the transition to clean energy is conducted with integrity, respect, and a deep commitment to regional communities. Companies that sign the charter commit to honoring its principles across all new projects developed after their registration.
To maintain transparency, the Clean Energy Council publishes an updated list of signatories on its website, and participating companies must display their commitment on their own public platforms. Signatories are also required to submit detailed reports every two years, demonstrating exactly how they are implementing these commitments in their active developments. The value of this framework was clearly demonstrated in the 2025 signatory reports, which compiled more than 400 practical examples of how renewable energy projects are successfully delivering positive outcomes for local communities, landholders, Traditional Owners, and regional ecosystems across Australia.
The Ten Core Commitments of the Charter
Signatories to the Best Practice Charter pledge to uphold ten fundamental commitments:
- Respectful Community Engagement: Developers commit to engaging respectfully with local communities, including the Traditional Owners of the land. They seek community views and feedback before submitting development applications or finalizing project designs.
- Accessible Information: Signatories pledge to provide timely, clear information and to remain highly accessible and responsive to community feedback throughout the entire lifecycle of the project.
- Sensitivity to Values: Project designs must be sensitive to areas of high biodiversity, cultural heritage, and landscape value.
- Agricultural Integration: Developers commit to minimizing impacts on highly productive agricultural land and actively exploring opportunities to integrate agricultural production with energy assets.
- Impact Consultation: Signatories must consult extensively with local communities on potential visual, noise, traffic, and other construction or operational impacts, presenting clear mitigation options.
- Supporting Local Economies: Projects must support the local economy by providing direct employment and procurement opportunities for local workers and businesses.
- Benefit Sharing: Developers commit to offering local communities opportunities to share in the economic benefits of the project, consulting them on governance and benefit-distribution arrangements.
- Educational and Tourism Support: Signatories commit to using their projects to support educational and tourism opportunities where appropriate.
- Responsible Land Stewardship: Developers must demonstrate responsible land stewardship over the project’s lifetime, welcoming opportunities to enhance the land's ecological, cultural, or agricultural value.
- Waste Reduction and Decommissioning: Signatories commit to recycling waste materials during the project's life and ensuring responsible decommissioning, refurbishment, or repowering at the end of the site's lifecycle.
Promoting Industry and Regional Harmony
The Best Practice Charter plays a vital role in addressing local concerns and countering misinformation. By codifying standards for land stewardship, agricultural integration, and benefit-sharing, the charter helps build mutual trust between developers and regional communities. This collaborative approach is essential for securing the social license required to deploy the massive amount of generation and storage capacity needed to meet Australia’s net-zero targets.
Key Takeaways
- Voluntary Integrity Framework: The CEC Best Practice Charter establishes clear standards of conduct for developers of large-scale renewable energy and transmission projects.
- Biennial Progress Reporting: Signatories must report on their adherence to the charter every two years, with the 2025 reports showcasing over 400 positive regional examples.
- Agricultural Preservation: The charter mandates that developers minimize impacts on highly productive farmland and actively explore ways to integrate farming with energy generation.
- Local Economic Integration: Under the charter, projects must actively support regional economies through local hiring, local procurement, and direct economic benefit-sharing.
