Social Energy Australia
Social Energy Australia has the vision of providing the poor, disadvantaged and elderly with cheap or potentially free electricity.
This will be achieved through building a Social Business (business with social objectives and zero dividends) based around providing solar energy to these groups and greatly reduced energy to all other areas of society.
About You
Section 1: About You
Section 2: About Your Organization
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Organization Name
Social Energy Australia
Organization Website
Organization Phone
0413556400
Organization Address
Organization Country
Australia, WA
Is your organization a
Not registered
How long has this organization been operating?
Less than a year
Your idea
Name Your Project
Social Energy Australia
Describe your Social Enterprise
Social Energy Australia has the vision of providing the poor, disadvantaged and elderly with cheap or potentially free electricity.
This will be achieved through building a Social Business (business with social objectives and zero dividends) based around providing solar energy to these groups and greatly reduced energy to all other areas of society.
Country your work focuses on
Australia, XX
Innovation
What makes your innovation unique?
Existing solar technology has an up front cost that puts it out of reach of the people who need it most. One of Social Energy Australia’s objectives is to provide cheap to free clean energy to these groups so they do not have that financial pressure.
Being a Social Business means Social Energy Australia is not driven by making profit but rather fixing social and environmental issues. Profit will be generated through the extra power that is generated and returned to the grid.
There is also the opportunity to sell these systems at a decreased price to everyone outside these groups who will then receive the advantage of no power bill and the sale of the electricity will then be credited back to them. The profit from the installation of these systems will then be reinvested into achieving the social outcomes of the business.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
Tell us about the social impact of your innovation. Please include both numbers and stories as evidence of this impact
Our vision is that the poor, elderly and disadvantaged do not have the lights turned off. That they have access to energy for the rest of their life and external circumstances (such as increase in the cost of energy) do not have an overwhelming and crippling effect on their standard of living.
With a pilot project in a suburb, which has a high concentration of these groups residing in them we will quickly be able to determine the weaknesses in this project and how we can scale it quickly to enable suburbs to power themselves and the buildings around them.
Social Energy Australia would also like to work towards creating self sufficient towns through the use of other renewable energy technologies such as wind and ultimately become the primary energy provider in Australia.
Problem: Describe the primary problem(s) that your innovation is addressing
Energy is one of the leading issues we face this century and innovative solutions need to be found in order to enable everyone (regardless of economic status) to have equal access to energy.
With recent announcements of price increases for power it has moved many families, pensioners and disadvantaged into a situation where essentials will need to be cut to survive.
Social Energy Australia aims to provide energy to these groups while reducing reliance on our existing energy system. This will be good for the environment and reduce the financial pressures on these groups.
Actions: Describe the steps that you are taking to make your innovation a success. Include a description of the business model. What might prevent that success?
The first step is to a source investment for a pilot project in a suburb with a lower social economic index and a high density of the groups we want to help.
We are also looking for technology partners and research partners to work towards the goal of all increasing the use of renewable energy sources.
Results: Describe the expected results of these actions over the next three years. Please address each year separately, if possible
Year 1 - Pilot program, testing, refining and adjustment
Year 2 - Roll out across Western Australia (Cities and Regional)
Year 3 - Roll out Australia wide and start investing in other renewable energy technology to build diverse capacity
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your innovation seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
If your innovation seeks to impact public policy, how?
We expect that ultimately Social Energy Australia will replace many of the large commercialised energy organisations that exist around Australia. This will require new legislation for Social Energy Australia to become a Social Business energy provider (currently our legal structures don' support this).
Sustainability
What stage is your Social Enterprise in?
Idea phase
Does your organization have a board of directors or an advisory board?
No
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how partnerships could be critical to the success of your Social Enterprise
Partnerships would be key to success. We can split the partnerships into the below categories:
Solar Technology Manufacturers - to purchase the systems off
Technology Partners - such as Google or IBM to maximise the distribution and monitoring of the network
Government Partners - Office of Energy would need to be a close partner and provide support
University / R&D Partners - Once Social Energy Australia is making a profit this will be reinvested in more systems and sustainable resource technology development.
Membership / Accreditation Groups - There are a number of accreditation and membership groups that Social Energy Australia would need to be part of.
We would like to learn more about how your initiative is financially supported. Please explain your business plan/revenue model
Social Energy Australia will raise initial capital for the pilot project from investors who are looking to invest their money in something that will provide lasting social change not only for the poor and disadvantaged but for the whole of Australia.
The revenue model will be 3 tiered -
1) Poor, Disadvantaged and Elderly will have the systems provided for free and from that point forward receive free power.
2) The second group of people who fall out of the first category will have a low interest loan guaranteed by Social Energy Australia to pay for the equipment, this will be a 10 year loan that will be paid back by Social Energy Australia from the revenue generated by the excess power pushed back into the electrical grid.
3) Any individuals who don't fall into the first two groups will be able to purchase the systems at a lower rate than other providers and the additional revenue generated by their system has 20% go back to Social Energy Australia while the occupants will receive the additional revenue.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Approximately 250 words left (2000 characters).
Tell us about the person—the social innovator—behind this idea.
Approximately 250 words left (2000 characters).
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another source, please provide the information
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 | 102 weeks agoRachna Pandey Donthi said: Great! Thanks for the clarifications and all the best! about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 102 weeks agoBrodie McCulloch said: They could be a group that receives the low or interest free loans and if they are a more pressing situation then they could be looked ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 102 weeks agoRachna Pandey Donthi said: Hi Brodie, Given that the initiative will be beneficial in the long-term, could the target population be the younger generation? about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 102 weeks agoBrodie McCulloch said: Hi Rachna, Initial capital will come from investors as well as a number of government grants which are available. Those not in group ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 102 weeks agoBrodie McCulloch said: Hi Raj and thanks for the question. Agreed that solar is not cheap yet however in Western Australia the Government is encouraging ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 102 weeks agoRachna Pandey Donthi said: Hi Brodie, my question is similar to Raj's...where would you get the initial capital from and how can your target group be eligible for ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 103 weeks agoRaj Jani said: Dear Brodie, the idea is brilliantly conceptualised and the intentions are indeed noble! However I have my doubts over the feasibility ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 103 weeks agoBrodie McCulloch updated this Competition Entry. |
| 103 weeks agoBrodie McCulloch submitted this idea. |
