Located 198 kilometres southeast of Perth, the Shire has been selected as one of four pilot local government areas to participate in the implementation of the new guideline, alongside the Shires of West Arthur, Dandaragan and Victoria Plains.
The guideline establishes benchmark contribution rates for renewable energy developments, including:
- Wind Energy Facilities – $1,000 per MW up to 1,000 MW, and $1,500 per MW for projects exceeding 1,000 MW
- Solar generation – $750 per MW
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) – $125 per MW
These benchmark rates are intended to guide the development of Community Benefit Plans that ensure host communities receive ongoing benefits from renewable energy projects located in their regions.
Shire of Narrogin President Leigh Ballard said the guideline was an important milestone in recognising the role regional communities play in supporting Western Australia’s energy transition.
“Regional communities like Narrogin are increasingly playing a central role in Western Australia’s energy transition, hosting major renewable energy infrastructure that will help power the State into the future,” President Ballard said.
“The State Government’s guideline provides welcome clarity and establishes benchmark contribution rates that recognise the importance of ensuring host communities share in the benefits of renewable energy development.”
President Ballard thanked Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation Amber-Jade Sanderson and PoweringWA for their leadership in developing the guideline.
“We thank Minister Sanderson and PoweringWA for listening to regional communities and working collaboratively with local governments to establish this framework,” he said.
“It reflects the strong advocacy undertaken by Wheatbelt local governments over recent years to ensure regional communities are properly recognised as partners in Western Australia’s energy transition.”
Based on renewable energy projects currently proposed or under consideration in the Narrogin district, preliminary estimates indicate the guideline could deliver significant long-term benefits to the local community.
President Ballard acknowledged that renewable energy development — particularly wind farms — remains a topic of discussion within many regional communities.
“We recognise that our community, including neighbours to proposed wind farm developments, is still coming to terms with the scale of the energy transition and the presence of infrastructure such as wind turbines in our landscape,” he said.
“However, Narrogin’s proximity to existing transmission infrastructure, the South West Interconnected System, and major energy assets including Collie means our region has a natural comparative advantage for renewable energy investment.”
President Ballard said the Shire would continue to strongly advocate for appropriate planning, setbacks and careful siting of infrastructure to ensure projects are developed responsibly.
“As these projects progress, the Shire will continue to advocate strongly for appropriate setbacks, sensible siting of infrastructure and respectful engagement with neighbouring landholders and communities,” he said.
“At the same time, we want to ensure our community captures the opportunities these developments bring — including local employment, business participation, housing solutions for workers, and broader economic diversification.”
“Our focus is on ensuring renewable energy investment delivers real and lasting benefits for Narrogin, including supporting local businesses, strengthening our economy and creating long-term legacy outcomes for the community.”
The pilot program will help refine how Community Benefit Plans operate and inform best-practice approaches for renewable energy developments across Western Australia.
President Ballard said the Shire looked forward to working with the State Government, PoweringWA, the Wheatbelt Development Commission and other pilot local governments to help shape the framework.
“Narrogin is proud to be contributing to the development of a framework that ensures regional communities benefit from the transformational renewable energy projects being developed across Western Australia.”
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