The BREAZE Inc., who run the Grampians Community Power Hub (CPH) project have hired two full-time staff to help guide the project forwards.

Sowmya Nargaraj, who has a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) and a Master of Engineering (Sustainable Energy) joins the company as the new project manager.

In stepping into the role, BREAZE Inc said Ms Nargaraj will bring an impressive range of professional experience in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The project also announced the newly appointed communications and administrative officer, Sam Rodgers, who has has a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Sustainability Management) and is also accomplished in media, communications and events coordination.

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BREAZE Inc. president Dr Mary Debrett, said the for the group to grow, more invest needed to be made into staffing the project.

"A key learning from the 2017-2020 Ballarat Community Power Hub pilot was that we needed a full time professional Project Manager to free-up the BREAZE volunteers to undertake community engagement work," she said.

"The work of the Hub is not about air-dropping big projects across the region, expecting communities to embrace them.

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"We need to build social licence for and public trust in community energy, the locals need to own it.

"We know there are lots of people in the regions who want more renewables and our goal is to find them and work with them in developing viable projects."

Engaging with communities across the 11 local government areas that comprise the Grampians region, the Community Power Hub aims to identify and assist the development of projects which might range from solar arrays, solar bulk buy and solar streetlight installations in community facilities and households.

Some of the projects to come out of the 2017-2020 program, were the installation of solar PV on social housing and on accommodation for people with disabilities

Collectively, the 2017-2020 pilot CPH program's 15 projects added 1.35MW of renewable energy capacity back to their communities, annually reduced their carbon emissions by 1,839 t.CO2e and saved $346,000 in electricity costs.

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