Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes has teamed up with Tesla to provide solar power in bushfire-affected areas

• Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife partnered with Tesla and 5B solar for an initiative that brings solar systems and batteries to areas affected by bushfires and storms.

• Called the Resilient Energy Collective, the initiative will help homes and businesses operate off the grid instead of using generators.

• Two of these systems have already been installed as the Collective targets sites in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia which require urgent attention.

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Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie Cannon-Brookes have partnered with Tesla to provide solar energy for people affected by the bushfires and storms.

The team set up the Resilient Energy Collective together with solar energy equipment provider 5B, with the goal of installing solar and battery solutions to bring electricity to affected communities. It will allow homes and businesses to operate off-grid, targeting the most needed sites across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

So far this bushfire season, there have been more than 11,000 bush and grass fires, with 5.4 million hectares of land burnt, with more than 2,400 homes destroyed.

Some houses, small businesses and important services in affected areas are still without on-the-grid power following the bushfires. And while hundreds of locations are still using diesel generators – which constantly need refuelling – other sites need new energy solutions altogether.

The Resilient Energy Collective lets communities move off generator power and use solar and batteries – which are cheaper than diesel generators – before wires and poles can be connected. It is also working with energy providers such as Essential Energy, Endeavour Energy, AusNet and SA Power Networks.

Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a statement that solar and batteries are resilient, adding that they are "an awesome off-grid solution that are quick and easy to transport and deploy."

"In three weeks we’ve come together, found the technology, adapted it, put it on trucks and right now it’s operating, generating electricity," he said.

"That’s what this collective is all about; getting the best tech and the best ingenuity together to solve a massive problem, in days, not months or years."

Solar energy systems have been installed in two areas

Two locations have already received infrastructure from the collective. A solar and battery standalone system was installed near Cobargo in New South Wales, giving electricity to an important emergency communications tower.

Another solar energy system was installed to power the Goongerah Community Hall in East Gippsland, Victoria so residents can access relief services, internet connection and refrigeration.

The Collective is also working to identify other sites in need.

Cannon-Brookes said the collective has the capacity to roll out systems at up to 100 sites.

"We can fund and deploy them in the next 100 days if required," he said. "As a nation we’ve got to learn the lessons of this summer and invest in energy systems that help the planet, not hurt it. That are resilient, not brittle. That are fast and flexible, not slow and fixed. And most importantly that reduce bills."

He added that in the future "we see a world in which many remote communities operate on solar power, off-the-grid", which is more stable and less prone to damage.

"To get this done, we need the cooperation of the energy providers – we want to work with them to identify the areas most in need," he said.

"This is a perfect solution to a massive problem. It will restore power faster. It’s renewable, reliable and clean.”

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