Uralla's Jemma Mailler is following her family's footsteps with Meralli Projects solar business

"[My family has] always grown up on the land, and found significance in looking after the environment around us," she told the Leader.

Her family runs a sheep farm in Uralla, but when the 21-year-old isn't looking after lambs, she's a team leader at Meralli Projects - an award winning solar business.

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She hopes to continue down the path of renewable energy for the rest of her career.

Her passion comes from the hope renewables will leave fossil fuels abandoned, as well as the declining climate.

"We see the impacts that its had on us over the years through drought and now flooding," she said.

"It's just been a real big push for us to try and make a difference and do our part in helping the environment and achieving climate action."

That drive runs in the family.

Her father began Meralli Projects to construct solar power stations to re-energise regional Australia, and build a sustainable future for the entire nation.

It all started with the construction of a solar project on her grandfather's property.

"They saw an opportunity in investing in renewable energy and saw the importance of that," she said.

"There's constant drive to continually grow and build, and just create more renewable energy options for rural and regional Australia," she said.

The business has doubled its completed projects since its inception in 2016.

And interest within the community has grown too - especially with younger generations, Ms Mailler said.

"We all understand that there is a need for climate action, and it's just figuring out what we can do to contribute to that," she said.

You can read the full Young and Regional: Our Climate Future series here.

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