As the clean energy sector scales up to meet ambitious climate targets, the success of projects increasingly hinges on meaningful community engagement and the delivery of tangible benefits. Traditional models of deployment have fueled skepticism and community resistance, slowing down deployment timelines, impacting project financials, and deepening community mistrust. 

This panel and workshop session will explore emerging approaches that prioritize communities as active partners in clean energy development. The panel discussion will feature practitioners across the sector to examine innovative models for community engagement and benefits-sharing. Panelists will highlight strategies that move beyond conventional outreach to co-created, equity-driven solutions that strengthen local support and long-term project success. These models include mechanisms for solidifying community benefits funding in offtake and financing agreements, protocols for social and environmental justice due diligence at the project level, and best practices for working with community partners. Following the discussion, an interactive workshop will guide attendees through designing their own community outreach and benefits initiative.