The New South Wales Government said it is on track to deliver enough renewable energy to power more than 1.5 million homes following approvals for multiple wind and solar projects in the state.
Throughout 2023, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure finalised 18 renewable energy state significant development assessments including three wind farms, six solar farms and nine large-scale batteries.
Of these, 13 were approved by the Department and five were referred to the Independent Planning Commission for determination, four of which the Commission has now approved with one is still in progress.
The recent approvals include the Yanco Delta wind farm in the state’s Riverina region, which is set to be the biggest wind farm in Australia at a proposed 1.5GW.
The government said that the approved projects will generate more than 3,000 jobs during construction and operation, providing a vital economic boost to regional communities.
The projects have the combined capacity to generate and store 7.6GW of renewable energy, which could save an estimated 8.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year and play an essential role in energy security.
A further 29 renewable energy projects are currently in the planning process. Another 70 new projects are about to be submitted for department approval.
The New South Wales Government recently completed the exhibition stage on the draft Energy Policy Framework, which includes new guidelines for wind energy development, transmission infrastructure, and benefit sharing, aiming to streamline approvals and provide clarity for both host communities and developers.
The guidelines are expected to be finalised in 2024.
New South Wales Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe, said, “These approvals represent the New South Wales Government’s commitment to accelerate the transition to renewables so households and businesses have reliable access to clean and affordable electricity.
“New South Wales is now about halfway towards our 2030 renewable generation target, and more than a quarter of the way there on our long-duration storage target.
“Across government, we will continue to drive the decarbonisation of our energy grid, setting New South Wales up with clean, reliable energy in the future,” Ms Sharpe said.
