14 February, 2017
NSW set to reap benefits of renewables revolution
NSW will be one of the big winners this year from the renewal of the nation’s antiquated electricity supply system.
Across the nation in 2017, more than $5.1 billion is being spent adding 2256 MW clean energy capacity across Australia, creating almost 3000 jobs during the construction phase. [1]
“NSW is set to reap huge benefits, with $1.6 billion being invested in six new solar and wind projects across the state,” Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said. [See table next page.]
“These assets will add as much power to the grid as one dirty old coal-fired power station and will generate an estimated 1000 jobs for regional NSW.
“This is great news for regional communities, our climate and nature, but it is just a small step on the road to a modern electricity supply system.
“With only 5% of electricity in NSW coming from wind and solar, we lag well behind other states.
“People are looking to the Berejiklian government to turbo-charge the switch from a dirty polluting coal to a safe, secure and sustainable electricity system.”
Ms Smolski said the government must slash carbon pollution, increase the reliability of our power supply, and promote jobs by:
- Setting enforceable targets to source 40% of NSW’s electricity from renewables by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
- Developing a plan for a quick and orderly phase-out of our antiquated coal-fired power stations in a way that is fair for power-station workers.
- Creating incentives for storage technologies like batteries and pumped hydro to make our electricity grid more stable and reliable.
References
[1] New renewable energy projects point to biggest year for industry since Snowy Hydro
www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news/2017/February/2017-renewable-energy-projects-snowy-hydro.html
CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS IN NSW 2017 (CURRENT AND BEGINNING)
|
Projects under construction in NSW
|
|
Techno-
logy
|
Region
|
Developer
|
Project
|
MW
|
Invest-
ment
|
Jobs
|
Finish
|
Tur-
bines
|
|
Wind
|
Glenn Innes
|
Goldwind Australia
|
White Rock Stage 1
|
175
|
$400m
|
200
|
2017
|
70
|
|
Solar
|
Goulburn
|
Goldwind Australia
|
Gullen Range Solar Farm
|
10
|
$26m
|
70
|
2017
|
|
|
Projects with financial commitment – to start construction in 2017
|
|
Techno-
logy
|
Region
|
Developer
|
Project
|
MW
|
Invest-
ment
|
Jobs
|
Finish
|
Tur-
bines
|
|
Wind
|
Glen Innes
|
Partners Group / CWP Renewables
|
Sapphire
|
270
|
$350m
|
200
|
Q1
|
75
|
|
Wind
|
Crookwell
|
Union Fenosa
|
Crookwell 2
|
91
|
$200m
|
80
|
Q2
|
33
|
|
Wind
|
Broken Hill
|
Powering Australian Renewables Fund
|
Silverton Wind Farm
|
200
|
$460m
|
150
|
Q1
|
58
|
|
Solar
|
Dubbo, Parkes, Griffith
|
Neoen
|
Three projects: Dubbo, Parkes and Griffith
|
110
|
$230m
|
250
|
Q4
|
|
|
Totals
|
|
|
|
856
|
$1.666b
|
950
|
|
|
Source: Clean Energy Council, www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news/2017/February/2017-renewable-energy-projects-snowy-hydro.html
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