Helping communities understand renewable energy projects across the regional New South Wales region.
Acknowledgement of Country. Social Licence Register acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across New South Wales on which these renewable energy projects are proposed, built and operated. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community.
Why Social Licence Register exists
Social Licence Register brings together publicly available information about what renewable energy projects have committed to their host communities.
It doesn’t measure social licence itself. Instead, it independently reports the evidence that can help inform it, including local commitments, opportunities and benefits, and gaps in publicly available information. Every finding links back to its source, leaving communities, councils and industry to form their own view.
What we track
The Register tracks ten areas covering the local opportunities, benefits and impacts associated with renewable energy projects, showing what has been committed and where information isn't clear yet.
Voluntary local sponsorships, grants, and donations provided before a formal community benefit fund is established.
How much money flows into the community and how it's spent.
Whether community concerns and feedback are considered by the developer.
Jobs and contracts awarded to local workers and businesses.
Local training and apprenticeship opportunities linked to renewable energy projects.
Whether local people get the construction jobs or whether workers are fly-in fly-out.
Publicly reported opportunities and benefits for First Nations people and communities.
When construction starts, how long it will last, and peak workforce numbers.
How worker accommodation affects local housing availability and rental costs.
The long-term jobs and local employment opportunities that remain after construction.
Traditional Owners are the First Peoples of this Country, holding continuing rights, responsibilities, knowledge and cultural connections to the land, waters and heritage where these projects are built. They participate as rights-holders, cultural custodians and decision-makers, and engagement with them is a fundamental part of responsible project development.
The Register recognises the importance of Traditional Owner engagement, cultural heritage protection, native title processes and self-determined decision-making. Many of these relationships are built through dialogue, trust, cultural authority and agreements that are not necessarily public, and often should not be. Communities themselves decide what information is shared publicly and what remains private.
For that reason, the Register focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation as a distinct category. This includes publicly identifiable commitments and outcomes relating to employment, training, apprenticeships, procurement, business development, community partnerships and other opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in and benefit from renewable energy development.
This focus does not place participation above cultural heritage or Traditional Owner engagement. Rather, it reflects the fact that participation commitments are more likely to appear in public documents and can therefore be identified consistently across projects.
Get in touch
We’re committed to providing accurate, up-to-date information that supports better outcomes for regional communities. If you spot an error or have more current information, let us know and share the source.