Adam Zarth is a recognisable figure across the Illawarra business community. Now the chair of Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven’s board has been handed a role that could put him at the centre of one of the region’s biggest energy experiments.
Zarth, has been appointed independent chair of a new Community Reference Group (CRG) helping shape the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
Far from being just another three-letter acronym, the REZ aims to fundamentally change how the Illawarra generates, stores and uses electricity by linking solar panels, batteries and other energy resources across homes, businesses and industry into a coordinated local network - not a huge new network of transmission lines.
A director at Sodali & Co and former executive director of Business Illawarra, Zarth will work alongside deputy chair David Petrie and the 14-strong reference group.
The CRG brings together local councils, university researchers, trade unions, clean energy advocates, and industry leaders. The reference group will meet quarterly over a two-year term. The group is:
“We want to unlock clean, reliable and affordable energy for the community, starting with the most available solutions that are already out there, like rooftop solar systems, home batteries and community-scale batteries,” Zarth said.
“The Illawarra REZ is the first to take place in an urban area of NSW, which makes it different in that we have a lot of residents and industry that can benefit, as well as existing infrastructure that can be repurposed or utilised in new and innovative ways.”
Adding momentum to the REZ were the revelations of a virtual power plant project earlier this week. The initiative seeks input to design a pilot Virtual Power Plant (VPP) that coordinates consumer energy resources - specifically rooftop solar and home batteries on social housing properties - to increase grid stability and lower household power bills.
Pilot program for social housing
The $11 million pilot program provides an opportunity to improve coordination of home batteries to increase the stability of the electricity network and provide direct benefits to social housing tenants. The pilot will install rooftop solar panels and batteries on selected social housing properties. It will then connect them through a virtual power plant, which boosts the reliability of the electricity grid in the Illawarra. It is jointly funded by the federal and state governments.
“One of our immediate areas of focus is on ensuring all members of our community can have access to affordable renewable energy should they choose, regardless of their socio-economic status,” Zarth said. “We also want to look at how local industry can benefit further. “
The intended network capacity for the Illawarra REZ is 1 gigawatt, which may increase over time, he said, with the growth of emerging industries such as green manufacturing.
and while you’re here …
The list councils wanted in on
Shellharbour made it easily, while fellow “LG8ers” Camden, Campbelltown and Wollondilly were on the list. Wollongong was not.
The list? The one that earned 44 councils are share in up to $73 million to deliver community facilities to their growing communities. And all because they met the benchmark set under the Planning Minister's Statement of Expectations in FY 2025-26 and recording an average assessment timeframe of 78 days, eight days faster than last year.
Shellharbour City Council cut its DA turnaround time by 15 days down to an average of 58 days; Campbelltown and Camden also had an average of 58, dropping 27 and 13 days respectively to get there. Wollondilly’s average was 68, cut by a day on the previous year.
Wollongong missed its target and missed out on the cash splash, but a council spokesperson told the Illawarra Mercury it “would not have an impact on the budget”.
Is your favourite council on the list?
One last reminder
There’s been 10,000 responses already, the council says, and there’s a few more days to ensure you get yours into wollongonggoals.org.
If the thought of having to articulate your dreams and goals seems a little daunting, Canva can help. Read through some of the goals already submitted and put your own spin on it. And yes, one-word answers are fine :)
Between your ears
There are times when Simon Sinek’s Bit of Optimism podcast hits the mark. It might be unnecessary right now, but bookmarking the September 27 edition could come in handy one day. It is headlined: What mentally strong people do on their worst days with psychotherapist Amy Morin.
Big ticket
It’s all about live music this weekend with 2026’s Yours and Owls Festival featuring over the weekend. What a gloriously eclectic line-up - from indie darlings Middle Kids and the incomparable Genesis Owusu to the latest incarnation of The Drones, pop princess in waiting G Flip, and Ball Park Music. And that’s before we mention Playlunch and BBNO$ - all in Wollongong!
If none of that floats your boat, maybe you need to head to help the Illawarra Hawks enjoy their first home game of NBL27 tonight at the WEC - against the Adelaide 36ers. A win would be good.