At Narara Ecovillage on the NSW central coast, NEV Power is running an embedded network that is owned and run by its customers – the people who live in the village. Using rooftop solar, a community battery and smart-grid coordination they share energy, stay resilient during outages and minimise reliance on the wider grid.
It’s in stark contrast to the embedded networks run by commercial operators in many apartment towers.
Dave Parris, one of two people who run NEV Power, explains what it actually takes for a small volunteer-driven organisation to run its own network while navigating increasingly complex regulations and wildly different levels of household engagement.
It’s an example of how local energy systems can support – not undermine – trust and sustainability in the transition.
Anne Delaney is the host of the SwitchedOn podcast and our Electrification Editor, She has had a successful career in journalism (the ABC and SBS), as a documentary film maker, and as an artist and sculptor.
