Z-NET is a collaboration created and coordinated by Starfish Initiatives.
Starfish provides a legal and financial platform for the collaboration to work together, however to the greatest extent possible the governance and implementation of Z-NET is led by the National Collaboration as detailed below. This way of working reflects The Starfish Principle of sustainability.
Hepburn Shire
The Z-NET Hepburn Shire work is being lead by the Coalition for Community Energy.
The Project Partners for the project delivery are:
The Project Team members are:
- Taryn Lane | Alternative Technology Association
- Damien Moyse | Alternative Technology Association
- Jon Morgan | Moreland Energy Foundation
- Brendan Lim | Little Sketches
- Adam Blakester | Starfish Initiatives
National Collaboration
A National Collaboration are actively working to secure resources to support implementation projects (for both Uralla and Hepburn Shire) as well as for a new round of work with 3-5 more communities being able to become zero net energy towns.
More than sixty other rural towns and villages have expressed interest to use the Z-NET Blueprint.
Members of the National Collaboration are Starfish Initiatives, Alternative Technology Association, Moreland Energy Foundation and the Coalition for Community Energy.
History
Consortium
The foundation work on Z-NET began in mid 2013 and was led by a Consortium of New England organisations. The Consortium played a significant strategic role in the original project design, selection of the case study town (Uralla) and tender process to engage the technical team to prepare the Z-NET Blueprint.
The members of the Consortium were:
- Institute for Rural Futures at the University of New England
- Office of Adam Marshall, Member for Northern Tablelands
- Regional Clean Energy Program of NSW Office of Environment & Heritage
- NSW Trade & Investment
- Regional Development Australia Northern Inland
- Starfish Initiatives
Executive
The Executive were responsible for the day-to-day work on the first stage of the project and supported the Consortium. The Executive included the following members:
- Adam Blakester | Starfish Initiatives
- Liz Gardiner | Starfish Initiatives
- Lauren Zell | Regional Clean Energy Program of NSW Office of Environment & Heritage
- David Thompson | Regional Development Australia Northern Inland
Technical Team
The Technical Team are responsible for preparing the Uralla Z-NET Blueprint and Business Case.
The members of the Technical Team are:
Advisory Panel
The National Collaboration is supported by the Advisory Panel members in providing specialist advice as required from time to time.
The current members of the Advisory Panel are:
- Alun Davies | Digital Economy Coordinator & Regional Communications Advocate
- Andy Cavanagh-Downs | Embark Australia
- Dr Christopher Blanksby | entura
- Franziska Mey | Community Power Agency
- James Felton-Taylor | Australian Sustainable Timbers
- Ken Davey (bio-gas)
- Kristian Handberg | Percepscion
- Mark Byrne | Total Environment Centre
- Michael Brennan | Clarence Consultants
- Murray Hogarth | Green Capital & WattWatchers
- Tim Nelson |AGL & Future Grid Cluster