As Australia accelerates its shift to renewable energy, the race to secure prime land for wind and solar projects is heating up.
But what if there was a smarter, more efficient way to connect landowners and developers?
RELA Connect is stepping in to do just that, turning what was once a complex and time-consuming process into a streamlined, transparent and fair exchange for renewable projects.
In a recent interview with RELA Chief Product Officer Stuart Gourley, ecogeneration gained valuable insights into how this groundbreaking tool is streamlining the process for landowners and developers.
Efficient land sourcing
The challenge of securing suitable land for renewable energy projects is becoming increasingly difficult as the energy transition accelerates. This growing demand for space – whether for wind farms, solar installations, battery energy storage systems (BESS) or new transmission lines – requires a more efficient approach.
RELA recognised this issue and responded with RELA Connect, a platform designed to streamline the process.
“We wanted to create a more efficient way to bring new land supply to the renewable energy market, and we wanted to do that through a transparent, fair and efficient process,” Gourley said.
“RELA Connect brings a new supply of land to the market in a way that’s fair, ensures a fair deal for landowners, and is efficient for developers.”
The platform provides real-time visibility of available land for renewable energy leases across Australia, catering to developers with diverse mandates and priorities. With the platform’s map and filter functions, users can easily identify the location and size of available land, and determine its suitability.
“For example, a developer might focus on a specific region in NSW or seek opportunities in WA,” Gourley said. “Our platform gives them the visibility they need to see what’s available at any given time.”
Streamlining the land agreement process
One of the key advantages of RELA Connect is its ability to accelerate and simplify the land agreement process.
Unlike traditional methods, which often involve cold-calling or door-knocking, RELA Connect focuses on willing and motivated landowners who approach the platform with genuine interest in renewable energy projects.
“We don’t go out there approaching landowners or try to twist anyone’s arm,” Gourley said. “Landowners typically come to us because they’re interested in hosting a renewable energy project, and because they want to make sure they get a fair deal.”
This proactive engagement sets the stage for a smoother negotiation process. RELA Connect also provides an educational component for both parties; landowners learn about the opportunities, timeframes, impacts and potential farming impacts, while the developers gain insights about the land and landowner priorities.
This mutual understanding helps to reduce the risk of future misalignment or friction during negotiations and throughout the project. As part of its service, RELA Connect conducts initial desktop assessments of land viability, providing a baseline that reduces the time and effort developers need to invest in filtering potential opportunities.
The feasibility also considers the land constraints, including the farm management plan to optimise the coexistence of food and renewable energy production.
While not exhaustive, these assessments offer valuable insights that can expedite decision-making processes.
Transparent bidding system
Navigating an informal negotiation process for land tenancy can be complex and time-consuming, particularly when multiple developers are vying for the same opportunity. This can often lead to confusion and inefficiency for developers and landowners.
RELA Connect is designed to simplify and streamline this process through a structured and transparent bidding system.
“We run a structured process over six weeks, when multiple developers are interested in a particular opportunity,” Gourley said.
“At the end of that period, developers submit their bids, which we then shortlist. Although the landowner makes all the final decisions, we’re there to help.”
“The process includes a face-to-face meeting between the shortlisted developers and the landowner, where developers present their proposals, receive feedback, and engage in a Q&A session. Ultimately, the landowner selects their preferred developer after considering the terms of the commercial and legal offer, as well as the developer’s project vision and track record.”
RELA Connect also plays a crucial role in preparing tender documents and assessing providing fact based of the bids, while also ensuring developers have access to all necessary information.
“The data gathered during our initial assessment of the land – like wind speeds and grid connection – flows directly into RELA Connect, populating the metrics that developers see on the platform” Gourley said. “This information is also used to populate the information memorandum, which is then distributed through RELA Connect. Developers can easily locate and download these documents, making the process more efficient and transparent.”
Adapting to industry needs
As Australia’s renewable energy landscape continues to evolve, so too must the tools that support it. The question is, how will RELA Connect adapt to meet the industry’s changing needs?
Gourley explained that this is just the first version of RELA Connect.
“We’ll be rolling out a number of enhancements in future releases, with a focus on further integrating the platform into developer workflows,” he said.
“Our goal is to enable developers to conduct more of their analysis within the platform itself, reducing the need to jump between multiple systems.
“Additionally, we’re ramping up supply on the platform, aiming to add two to four new listings each month, providing even more opportunities for developers.”
But what impact has RELA Connect already had on accelerating Australia’s renewable energy industry?
“There are projects we’ve worked on that simply wouldn’t have happened without us,” Gourley said. “For instance, one project had stalled because it was with a developer whose priorities had shifted. We were able to revive that project through the RELA Connect tender process by connecting it with the right developer who had the focus and commitment to make it a reality.
“That’s the kind of acceleration we’re talking about – bringing projects to life that otherwise might have languished.”
This visibility and accessibility are what set RELA Connect apart from traditional land acquisition methods.
“In traditional processes, if a developer abandons a project, it could take a long time for another to discover the opportunity,” Gourley said. “But with RELA Connect, land opportunities are visible to all participating developers, meaning that the right developer can step in more quickly, saving everyone time and moving projects forward faster.”
For more information, visit rela.com.au
This article featured in the October edition of ecogeneration.
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