Frustrated by a lack of interest from state and federal governments, some local communities have taken renewable energy into their own hands.

In Goulburn, a group of residents and businesses has come together to build a community-funded 1.2-megawatt solar farm, with 4000 panels and the capacity to power between 350 and 500 houses in the region.

Clean Energy 4 Goulburn was formed when locals attended a sustainable energy forum with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage three years ago, group president Ed Suttle said.

"[The office] must have said they had funding available right then to finance a feasibility study for a community solar farm," Mr Suttle said. "The land owner had land available and it was right next to the right sort of power cables to make the thing potentially work.