It’s not the first in Australia, daylsford in Victoria comes to mind, but it’s an energy solution that IMO ought to be replicated in as many place as are removed from main transmission lines. There is also the notion of independence from the vagaries of corporate energy suppliers pricing.

It’s such a good thing which can only help to reduce fossil fuel consumption and its attendent pollution.

“11.23 AEDT [today] — NSW town flips switch on Australia’s first community-owned solar farm and battery
Australia’s first community co-op solar farm and battery has officially opened in Goulburn, New South Wales.

The project, a 1.4-megawatt solar farm with a 4MWh battery, is owned by 288 investors, 80% of whom are from the region’s community. Andrew Bray, the chair of the Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative, said it was the culmination of 12 years of hard work by the community.

The powerful thing is these members now have a stake in a renewable energy power plant rather than leaving the clean energy market to large national and international interests. It is a great step in true benefit sharing.
The co-op ownership structure means that each investor has one vote, regardless of the size of their shareholding. As well as financial returns for investors, Bray said a portion of annual profits would be directed to a community fund to address energy poverty in the area.

Edison Zhou, the group director of Australia and New Zealand for Trinasolar Asia Pacific, which supplied the solar modules and energy storage, said: ‘Community energy projects like this one show what is possible when local determination meets the right technology and the right partners. We are proud that Trinasolar’s solar modules, tracker and storage solutions could play a part in making it a reality, demonstrating that advanced clean‑energy technology is no longer just for large-scale developers, it is accessible to communities too.’
The solar farm is completing final commissioning and is expected to be fully connected to the grid within weeks” (Source: The Gardian Live)
#Renewables #CommunityOwned #TaxTheRich

Alternative platforms protect communities & events from corporate control, data mining, & algorithmic bias. It’s time to reclaim digital spaces!

https://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/social-media-2/2025/02/alternative-platforms

#AlternativePlatforms #fediverse #CommunityOwned #events #community

#communityowned railway company? Wow.
#europe #publictransport #nighttrain #backontrack #mobility #invest

https://platform.eyevestor.com/eyeventures/NL_EUS?lang=en

The #Nextcloud server for the Federated Video Co-op Initiative is now fully online.

This marks a major step toward building the kind of organization we set out to create.

From the beginning, the core requirement was clear. Our infrastructure has to be open source. It cannot rely on Microsoft or Google. It cannot depend on any service with vendor lock-in. And it must be hosted entirely in Canada from top to bottom. That meant choosing a platform we can operate ourselves on Canadian hardware under Canadian law with no hidden dependencies. Nextcloud fits that mandate perfectly.

Here’s what this entails:

Nextcloud now serves as the central home for our governance work, documentation, file storage, onboarding, collaboration, project management, and video conferencing. It also includes an excellent email client.

For communication, we are currently testing Nextcloud Talk. At first glance it covers most of our needs. If it ends up falling short, Mattermost is our fallback option. Regardless of where we land for chat, Nextcloud remains the backbone for everything else.

One important clarification. The Signal group chat will not be retired. It continues to serve an important role for quick coordination and informal updates. Nextcloud is the system of record. Signal remains the fast lane for day-to-day back-and-forth.

Everyone who volunteers on an advisory basis will receive a Nextcloud account. These seats are free during the testing period. After three months, there will be a $5/month hosting cost per seat. This keeps the service sustainable and fully operated on Canadian infrastructure rather than relying on the large US tech stacks we are deliberately avoiding.

Most documents within Nextcloud will be made public once finalized. Exceptions will be limited to privacy and monetary matters. For transparency, we now have an open directory where the community can see our publicly viewable documents as they evolve:

https://cloud.fedeo.org/s/Wdt8LDMaE64gaXF

Now that the server is up and running, email updates will resume.

#VideoCoOp #OpenSource #CommunityOwned #Fediverse

#Solarpunk: A Deep Dive into the Cultural Revolution #Reimagining Our Future

The Philosophy Behind the Movement: More Than Just #SolarPanels

Solarpunk represents not just an aesthetic or literary movement, but a comprehensive framework for reimagining human civilization. Its strength lies in combining practical technical solutions with radical social and cultural innovation, while remaining grounded in ecological reality and human needs. As we face cascading environmental and social crises, Solarpunk offers not just hope, but a practical pathway forward that is both revolutionary and achievable.

by NickyCammarata
Nov 24, 2024

Excerpts: "While mainstream coverage often focuses on Solarpunk’s aesthetic elements, the movement represents a fundamental reimagining of human civilization’s relationship with technology, nature, and itself. At its core, Solarpunk challenges the dominant narratives of both techno-optimism and eco-pessimism, proposing instead a radical middle path that embraces both technological advancement and ecological wisdom.

#Decolonial Roots and #Indigenous Influence

"Often overlooked in basic Solarpunk discussions is the movement’s deep connection to #IndigenousKnowledge systems and decolonial thinking. Many Solarpunk principles mirror traditional ecological practices:

- The concept of “#SeventhGeneration” decision-making from #Haudenosaunee philosophy
- #AustralianAboriginal practices of landscape management and fire ecology
- #Andean concepts of “#BuenVivir” (good living) that emphasize harmony between human communities and natural systems
- Traditional #Asian #agricultural practices that create #ClosedLoop systems

The Political Economy of Solarpunk
Beyond #GreenCapitalism

"Solarpunk explicitly rejects the notion that market forces alone can address environmental challenges. Instead, it proposes alternative economic models:

- Commons-based peer production
- Gift economies for local exchange
- Circular economic systems that eliminate waste
- Democratic ownership of key infrastructure
- Time banking and alternative currencies
- #Degrowth economics in overdeveloped regions
#TechnologicalSovereignty

"Unlike techno-utopian visions that centralize control in #corporate hands, Solarpunk advocates for:

- #OpenSource technology development
- #CommunityOwned and maintained infrastructure
- Appropriate technology scaled to local needs
- #RightToRepair and modify equipment
- Distributed manufacturing through #makerspaces
- Knowledge sharing networks independent of #corporate control"

Read more:
https://medium.com/verdant-circuit/solarpunk-a-deep-dive-into-the-cultural-revolution-reimagining-our-future-4e77821c9d67

#SolarPunkSunday #PostCapitalism #Capitalism #CircularEconomy #SmallScale #BuildingCommunity #SustainableAgriculture

Alternative platforms protect communities & events from corporate control, data mining, & algorithmic bias. It’s time to reclaim digital spaces!

https://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/social-media-2/2025/02/alternative-platforms

#AlternativePlatforms #fediverse #CommunityOwned #events #community

#PuertoRico's #communityowned #solarpower: Alternative to frequent #blackouts

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-07-puerto-rico-community-solar-power.html

Here's a wild idea: what if the people who create music actually owned the platform they distribute it on?
Crazy, right?

In a world where streaming giants are owned by investors who've probably never picked up an instrument, we chose to be a cooperative. That means every musician, listener, and business partner has an equal say in how we operate. No billionaire overlords making decisions about your creative future from a boardroom.

Yes, it limits our investment options. Yes, it means we can't just chase profit at any cost. But it also means when we say "artist-first," we can't be bought out or pivot to please shareholders tomorrow. It's literally baked into our business model.

Platform cooperatives put power back where it belongs—in the hands of the people who create and consume the culture. Revenue follows listening, data stays with artists, and community values can't be overridden by someone's quarterly targets.

https://www.packmusic.au/how-it-works#whycooperative

#PlatformCooperative #Cooperative #EthicalTech #CommunityOwned #DemocraticOwnership #TechForGood #DataSovereignty #AlternativePlatforms #SocialEnterprise #ThePackMusicCoop #FairTech