Authentic engagement is powering Queensland’s renewable energy transition

A new benchmark for community-centred development

With the Queensland Government’s draft Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 setting a new benchmark, expectations for transparency, inclusion, and meaningful collaboration are stronger than ever. Proponents will be required to listen to and understand community perspectives, and Social Impact Assessments and Community Benefit Agreements will be required before development approval.

At RPS, we’re already supporting this shift. Most recently, we partnered with Grupo COBRA (Cobra) to deliver authentic community engagement for their first hybrid solar farm and BESS developments in Australia. We also co-designed benefit sharing frameworks aligned with regional values and emerging policy expectations.

Setting the pace for renewable engagement

Cobra’s projects include the Moranbah Solar Farm in Coppabella (200MW with 50MW/100MWh BESS) and the Everleigh Solar Farm in Chinchilla (119MW with 100MW/200MWh BESS).

From the outset, we worked closely with local stakeholders, community members, and Traditional Custodian representatives to build trust, understand the local context, and identify opportunities for long-term benefit.

Engaging early with local government was a key part of this process. Councils are trusted voices in their regions and bring valuable insight into community needs, stakeholders, and engagement preferences. While our team brings deep regional experience, with many having lived and worked in these areas, local councils offer perspectives that come from being part of the community.

Council engagement provided an initial foundation that we built on and tested with local organisations, the chamber of commerce, and communities. It helped shape a clear understanding of regional priorities and guided respectful, tailored engagement.

Engaging with communities, not just for them

Our engagement program uncovered valuable insights into local values, concerns and aspirations. These findings shaped practical, community-informed recommendations for benefit sharing tailored to each project’s scale and potential impact.

A standout moment was engaging with the local community in Moranbah. We shared conversations over coffee and facilitated a participatory workshop with residents, including students from the local state high school. Their contributions brought important youth perspectives and highlighted how the sector can better support future generations.

We concluded the engagement program by developing Community Benefit Sharing Frameworks for both projects. These frameworks included funding recommendations based on what we heard from the community and outlined clear next steps for progressing Traditional Custodian cultural agreements and shared benefit agreements.

Supporting culturally informed Traditional Custodian engagement

We collaborated with the Tetra Tech First Nations Consulting team to guide engagement and relationship brokering with cultural integrity. Their expertise helped shape a respectful and informed process that supported Cobra in building early connections with two Traditional Custodian groups. This approach laid the foundation for long-term partnerships based on free, prior and informed consent, and contributed to a shared understanding of project opportunities and pathways.

A strong foundation for future projects

Our work with Grupo COBRA shows what's possible when engagement is prioritised early and backed by a committed developer. Cobra recognised that genuine community partnerships and thoughtful social impact planning are essential, not optional. By working together, we built a strong foundation for meaningful outcomes and future projects in Queensland's growing renewable sector. 

We'd love to connect if you're planning or delivering a renewable energy project. Our team brings expertise in engagement, social impact assessment and the design of community benefit sharing frameworks, which are grounded in real-world experience shaped by the communities we work with.