At Alinta Energy, engagement isn’t an afterthought—it’s how projects are built from the ground up.
When Renee Preece joined Alinta Energy as Head of Community Engagement, she saw something rare: a genuine top-down and bottom-up commitment to engagement.
“From our Executive through to our project teams, there’s a real understanding that engaging early, often, and throughout development leads to better outcomes,” Renee says.
Investing in capability
Within her first three months, Renee went to her Executive Director with a bold request—fund IAP2 Australasia training for the development team. The answer came quickly: yes.
“That level of support so early on was extraordinary,” she recalls. “It showed that engagement wasn’t just welcomed—it was expected.”
Today, Alinta Energy’s core development team—engineers, project managers, environmental planners, and delivery leads—have completed the Essentials of Engagement and Design & Methods modules. All engagement practitioners now hold the Certificate of Engagement, and Renee herself has earned the Advanced Certificate of Engagement. Certification is now embedded as a core competency for new hires within the Community Engagement and Social Performance team.
“The result is a team that’s aligned, capable, and ready to deliver meaningful outcomes,” Renee explains.
Embedding engagement in project DNA
At Alinta Energy, engagement is no longer a supporting function—it’s a foundation.
“Internally, there’s strong awareness and appreciation that engagement is a core part of project development,” Renee says. “It’s now seen as integral to how we plan, design and deliver.”
Even as many of Alinta’s projects remain in early development, the groundwork is solid: clear internal frameworks, minimum practice standards, and consistent processes that set the team up for success.
“Nothing in community engagement is guaranteed,” Renee acknowledges. “But strong internal support and systems make it easier to navigate when things get noisy or complex.”
Responding to change—together
As the energy transition accelerates, Alinta Energy is helping communities navigate uncertainty and misinformation with clarity and empathy. That means blending traditional engagement with new technologies. Working alongside their Communications team, they’ve introduced Augmented Reality experiences that help neighbours and local groups visualise what renewable energy projects might look like in their own landscapes.
“We’re taking complex project information and making it accessible for everyone,” Renee says. “It’s about helping people see—not just hear—what change means.”
Setting a new standard
Alinta Energy’s engagement approach is also guided by external commitments, aligning with State and Commonwealth Government guidelines, the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, and the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Development. These benchmarks reinforce a culture of transparency, consistency, and continuous improvement.
“We’re a small, agile team—but with the right support and a lot of trust in our expertise, we’re well positioned to deliver,” Renee reflects.
Interested in what Alinta Energy’s Engagement Team are doing, check out their report against the Clean Energy Councils Best Practice Charter.
Why it matters
Renee’s story shows what happens when engagement becomes more than a compliance step—it becomes a strategic capability.
Through its investment in Engagement Institute training and certification, Alinta Energy is demonstrating what the Engagement Institute calls confidence in action: teams who can engage meaningfully, navigate complexity, and help communities participate in shaping their energy future.
About Renee Preece
Head of Community Engagement, Alinta Energy
Renee Preece has over 15 years’ experience across the mining, oil, gas and major infrastructure sectors. She brings extensive practical expertise in social performance, human rights, and stakeholder engagement.
At Alinta Energy, Renee is responsible for the strategic oversight of community engagement and social performance across the company’s development portfolio of 29 projects.
Previously, she led the design and delivery of Newcrest Mining’s global Social Performance and Human Rights program globally.
Renee holds a Bachelor of Social Work and an Advanced Certificate of Engagement from the Engagement Institute.
Learn more about Alinta Energy’s projects and commitment to communities:
👉 Visit Alinta Energy Projects
