That's according to energy consultant, Llewellyn Owens, who said the sector has grown so quickly it has proven fragmented and atomised.

In a bid to overcome the hurdles facing the industry locally, a "clean tech" forum to be held in Tamworth next year, and will cover everything from solar and wind, to hydrogen and smart water.

"A lot of [the renewables sector] is main cities focused, so it's still coming out of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane," Mr Owens said.

Read also:

"The aim is to bring some of the jobs here to Tamworth and the New England region. We actually need to work together as an industry and be coordinated on how we approach landowners. We need to tell people about the benefit of these projects. It is creating new industries, it's going to create jobs. We need a consistent approach about how we tell that story."

Energy is the region's biggest new industry ever, and it's time for both locals and producers to think about how to get the best out of the energy boom, he said.

Mr Owens said the sector isn't just confined to the highland parts of the New England.

"There is this thought that [the New England REZ] is not in the Tamworth region, that includes the Tamworth region," he said.

"I'm aware of four very large projects going in from Tamworth out to Gunnedah, solar projects mostly. Then there's all the projects down in the Hunter area as well. A lot of the mining companies are looking to transition to a clean solution also. Just around Tamworth there would be many many billions of dollars; eight plus."

The symposium is penciled in for February or March, depending on the coronavirus outbreak.

The speakers list already includes a number of renewables companies and other interested parties, including local education institutions and construction companies.

Mr Owens said the fragmented industry needs to start collaborating and telling a positive story about its future.

"The reason I'm so passionate about is the regions are the best place to take advantage of this transition. Farmers can actually create all of their own energy on site eventually, when hydrogen and batteries really take off.

"Renewables actually really puts a lot of the energy back into the region's hands. They create literally create their own fuel rather than importing it from another country. That's really powerful and will create jobs."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: