Business renewables buying group

1Circle is the facilitator of the Melbourne Business Renewable Buying Group

Purpose

Bring together businesses across Victoria to purchase low-cost renewable energy and cut emissions

1Circle is proud to be the appointed facilitator of the Business Renewables Buying Group and excited to be bringing low cost renewable electricity to businesses and organisations of Melbourne.

This is a new program established to provide a replicable procurement process for medium to large electricity consumers to enter into renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPA).

This project is initiated and supported by Yarra Council, as well as Darebin, Melbourne, Moreland and regions covered by the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) and the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA).

Watch the welcome webinar for more background on the initiative.

Selection

Medium to large energy consuming businesses wanting to move to renewable electricity

The buying group is designed to bring together a group of like-minded medium to large businesses that want:

  • renewable power
  • lower cost
  • increased confidence

Eligibility is simple, businesses and/or organisations should ideally be:

  1. a medium to large energy user e.g. spend over $100,000 per annum
  2. have some component of your business located in the ‘participating regions’
  3. be open to signing a long term (5-7 year) renewable electricity supply agreement

Interested and committed organisations should then register using the Expression of Interest form.

Benefits

Cheaper way to obtain renewable power

The buying group is based on previous similar programs that has delivered for participating organisations:

  • Cost-effective reduction in emissions and delivery on strategic goals
  • Budget certainty and reduced exposure to energy price volatility
  • Avoiding of cost and effort of repeated internal procurement processes
  • Reputation, branding and leadership benefits
  • Demonstration of direct support of the renewable energy industry

In practice

Work as a team to get more than acting alone

As an alternative to running independent procurement initiatives, buying groups provide significant points of difference including:

  • Improved market response for your businesses, with more options and potential price benefits due to increased load
  • Ability to work with others who are going through similar decisions to compare considerations and support each other
  • Reduced project costs and staff time by spreading the workload across the group
  • The process is led by an experienced facilitator, with access to specialist strategic advice

Register interest

Complete the no obligation registration of interest form

The first round of the Business Renewable Buying Group has a closing date of 30 June 2022.

Registrations Close 30 June

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Process

Our process delivers confidence and results

The buying group is being formed and prepared through April to June. 

Forming the group is fundamental – it establishes the buying power, organisation and focus to achieve leading results from the procurement process.

Once ready, we apply our five-step energy procurement process to deliver the renewable electricity supply agreement for participating businesses.

Step 1. Form the Group

Inform

We conduct education sessions on the benefits and requirements of Group Buying

Register

Interested businesses are asked to register via the Expression of Interest form here

Appraise

Once interest is registered, we appraise the potential of Group Buying for individual organisations and the group as a whole

Sign up

We support organisations in making the decision to participate – and ultimately sign up to the group

Step 2. Competitively procure energy

Refine target outcome including cost, contracting term, renewable outcome, use of on-site solar, risks

Define with clarity present energy use, cost and forecast changes in requirements

Manage multi-round competitive procurement process

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Rigorous financial and risk analysis, and support stakeholder decision making through to agreement

Manage the implementation of the agreement including budget updates and bill validation

For further information contact 1circle or
complete the registration form