On October 19th Enova Community Energy won the Excellence in Social Enterprise award for the Northern Rivers Region at the NSW Business Chamber Awards in Ballina.

This award recognises organisations that have been established or exist to further a social purpose that benefits the community. These organisations have commercial activities, products or services, other than government grants and donations, that provide an income stream to fund social purpose activities.

We’re honoured to receive this award which recognises the vision and achievements Enova’s Board and team, and also the contributions of our 1,600 shareholders and 6,500 customers.

We were delighted to be chosen as a finalist alongside two other innovators – Johnny's Evans Head & Key Employment Association – both doing amazing work in their local community around training, support, employment and career opportunities for all.

Win recognises Enova’s commitment to community

We are proud to be part of this Region and are mindful of the local support that has made Enova Community Energy what it is today.

CEO Felicity Stening thanks Northern Rivers residents who pushed for a local energy company that is a social enterprise - acting on climate change while giving back to local communities.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved in the past three years, and I want to thank all the residents and businesses in the Northern Rivers and beyond who have supported our journey.”

“It was the enthusiasm, the vision and support of the people of the Northern Rivers that led to the creation of Enova,” Felicity said. “What we’re doing has never been done before.”

“We have actually pioneered a new way of doing energy, right here in the Northern Rivers: energy that is local and renewable, that keeps money and jobs in the region and returns profits to the community in a beneficial cycle.

“It’s a wonderful example of the power that even small communities have, to make real change. Building communities and combating climate change at the local level are central goals,” Felicity said. “Now more than ever, local communities need to take action themselves."

Social Enterprise is at the heart of what we do and why we exist!

Being a social enterprise means Enova conducts business for a social purpose.

Enova is currently building a body of knowledge for making local energy systems, solar gardens and microgrids happen. The aim is to pave the way for local areas to generate, store and share their own energy and move away from coal-fired power sourced from long distances away.

Our energy retail arm will direct 50% of profits to initiatives that facilitate this vision - through our registered not-for-profit charity arm. We are investing in microgrid models and solar gardens, as well as working in partnership with organisations and communities to facilitate and implement community-owned energy initiatives.

You can find out more about our current projects, as well as the latest project updates, on our community projects page.