RELA is addressing one of the greatest challenge the nation’s landowners face in the transition to renewable energy: the lack of both clear information and enabling infrastructure that leaves landowners and developers navigating complex agreements without the critical knowledge they need.
RELA is one of the first of its kind with a focus on addressing these challenges in the transaction process.
It does so by providing landowners and their legal and accounting teams with an understanding of the true value of the land to the project, implications to their farm management plan and the process to come.
The RELA platform then connects the landowner with the right developer through an independent and competitive process and the enabling infrastructure to negotiate fair and equitable land agreements.
Through its unique approach, RELA empowers landowners and developers alike with the transparency and tools they need to engage fairly, allowing all stakeholders to make their own informed decisions and achieve equitable outcomes.
This balanced and fair approach enables farmers to continue with what they do best in their vital role as primary producers and to achieve social licence at scale.
RELA’s platform provides greater transparency on proposed renewable energy projects, enabling local communities, local government and industry bodies such as Queensland Farmers’ Federation, who have officially partnered with RELA, to be better informed and have a seat at the table on projects proposed for their landowners, communities and regions.
RELA CEO Michael Katz said RELA is dedicated to empowering landowners in the renewable energy transition by providing access to information which help landowners make informed decisions on the best use of their land.
“RELA is working in local communities and listening to concerns, and sometimes confusion about these projects. We are committed to helping landowners secure equitable outcomes as they participate in renewable energy projects on their land, optimising the coexistence of food and energy production,” Katz said.
“Through a shared platform, RELA and our partners who have the farming industry expertise, will actively facilitate landowner success in this evolving landscape.”
RELA provides solutions to challenges created by Australia’s increasing demand for renewable energy – filling a gap between two of Australia’s most critical sectors: agricultural land and energy, allowing crucial co-existence.
And because RELA’s business model is focused on delivering the best outcomes for landowners, it is independent from any influence by individual developers.
Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes said he was pleased to see a platform that helps connect the interests of these critical sectors: food, fibre, and energy.
“Regional Australia is doing so much of the heavy lifting in hosting energy projects. To make our renewable energy transition a success, farmers must be at the heart of it. Agricultural land and renewable energy can and are co-existing, we want to see more of it,” Grimes said
Bruce Gibson’s family have been running sheep and cattle in NSW for almost 100 years, and said it’s very challenging for a farmer focussed on their role as a primary producer to know what’s available to them in the renewable landscape, a role RELA could facilitate to make it easier for farmers dealing with big developers.
“I had an opportunity about five years ago about a project on my farm. A solar project. I was very under-equipped in terms of protecting my position and my asset, negotiating with a big multinational,” he said.
“Farmers are generally focussed on their operations, growing the best livestock or the best crops they can grow. That sort of thing. There’s a lot of stuff coming at them. There’s going to be more and more layers of compliance coming at them. They need help,” Gibson said.
Elders, a rural real estate and agribusiness has entered into a strategic alliance with RELA.
The alliance has Elders NSW Real Estate Manager Richard Gemmell excited.
“RELA is bringing its expertise and networks to help regional landowners to navigate the barriers to achieving their objectives through renewable energy opportunities. The collaboration with RELA allows us to help our clients in new and important ways,” Gemmell said.
“RELA has successfully transacted with some of the country’s largest corporate farmers and agri businesses, as well as many smaller family run farming operations, bringing value and benefit to all landowners and their communities.”
Former National Farmers’ Federation President and MacIntyre Wind Farm host Brent Finlay is another strategic advisor who brings to RELA five generations of farming insight and recognises the importance landowners play in both the production of food and fibre but also as part of the transition to a cleaner future for all.
“I am acutely aware of the economic challenges farming communities across Australia face and RELA provides access to a secondary revenue stream, or up-front payment, in an equitable and fair way that is beneficial to both the landowner and the planet,” Finlay said.
Finlay said his grazing property, which hosts a renewable wind farm, was a perfect example of how traditional agriculture can co-exist with modern energy solutions.
“My grazing property is a prime example of this, but landowners have needed a platform like RELA to provide access to expertise which maximises returns both from an economic and sustainable outcome while giving farmers access to income/capital to better plan for their future,” he said.
“I have been an advocate for Australian farmers for 40 years and that’s why I have partnered with RELA because they are acting with the landowner’s best interest at heart. Their platform simplifies what can be a complex process and ensures that landowners remain in control of their land, while the developers take carriage of the project.”
Jess Salvato, RELA’s Legal Counsel, explained how RELA has helped landowners overcome challenges related to renewable energy projects.
“We’ve worked with landowners who faced significant roadblocks in their negotiations with developers. In one instance, a landowner had shown interest in hosting a solar farm but had hit a standstill. RELA’s assessment and competitive process were instrumental in breaking through these barriers and securing a successful outcome for both the landowner and the developer,” Salvato said.
Salvato emphasised RELA’s role in addressing key concerns around the integration of renewable projects with traditional agricultural practices.
“Many landowners worry about how renewable energy projects will coexist with their farming operations and what the long-term impact will be on their land and local communities. RELA offers solutions to help landowners navigate these complexities, particularly when it comes to issues like maintaining agricultural productivity and planning for decommissioning,” she said.
“Through our platform and guidance, RELA equips landowners with the tools to secure outcomes that meet their individual needs, while also aligning with the expectations of developers and the broader goals of the project.”
A further value that RELA’s offers landowners with existing projects on their land is the ability to access the capital value from their lease without selling their land.
This takes the form of a prepayment of the net present value of rental income the landowner would receive over the lifetime of the lease from the energy developer.
“RELA Prepay provides cash for growth, diversification and estate planning, but it also means money goes back into the local community, through the purchase of vital equipment and products to make farming operations more productive, profitable and sustainable now and for the future,” Katz said.
Queensland Cattle farmer and RELA client Belinda Saal and her family were looking for financial solutions to navigate rising debt and interest rates when they discovered RELA’s lease prepayment option. With RELA’s help, they were able to unlock capital from their renewable energy lease and use the funds strategically for future investments and farm growth.
“RELA provides landowners like us the opportunity to unlock capital to meet immediate financial needs, including acquiring land as opportunities arise so that we can make generation plans,” Saal said.
According to Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Jo Sheppard, there is much for a landholder to consider before entering into an agreement.
“RELA offers that next step of support by actively walking alongside landowners as they assess the viability and potentially progress into an agreement for a renewable energy project on their land, providing an additional layer of confidence and protection, while always having the landowner’s best interests at the forefront,” she said.
With 10 years experience in corporate Australia and over 20 years in agribusiness and high wealth individuals in regional areas, Managing Director of Principal Focus Peter Debus said anyone thinking about a project needs to surround themselves with fabulous advisors, and certainly RELA is one of those advisors they can get on board.
“RELA’s prepayment arrangement takes a lot of risk away for the farmer and we think that’s a fabulous option for farmers. Farmers can solve their succession problems, they can reduce debt, they can expand their business by going and buying more land, they can start planning succession arrangements, whether its retirement funding, off farm assets or whatever,” Debus said.
To date, over 200 landowners have used RELA’s platform to generate an estimate of their land value for renewable energy projects with over 15 going through the tender process with a 100 per cent success rate to date.
Completed tenders represent over $2.9 billion in project value with 1.5 gigawatts capacity, equivalent to powering up 600,000 homes a year.
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