15 March 2021
The NSW government could consider using new powers to prohibit renewable energy projects from connecting to the grid in circumstances where there is strong community opposition to the project, in a message to project developers that building and maintaining strong social licence will be critical to the state’s renewable energy zones.
Speaking to the Large-scale Solar Forum hosted by the Clean Energy Council on Thursday, the NSW government’s director for energy infrastructure and zones, Chloe Hicks, said the development of social licence between renewable energy developers and the communities where projects will be built would be key to the successful development of the renewable energy zones that are planned across New South Wales.
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Death of coal-fired power is inevitable – yet government still has no plan to help its workforce
Yallourn power station – Australia’s oldest, dirtiest coal plant – will close four years ahead of schedule in 2028. Announcing the move this week, operator Energy Australia said it will build a giant energy storage battery on the site to make room for more renewables. This is a powerful statement about where our energy system is heading.
Author Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
Yallourn has operated for 47 years burning brown coal. It supplies one-fifth of Victoria’s energy and employs 500 permanent workers and hundreds more contractors. It’s also responsible for 13% of Victoria’s emissions.
The death of Yallourn, coal-fired power is inevitable, yet the government still has no plan to help its workforce themandarin.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from themandarin.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Yallourn power station Australia’s oldest, dirtiest coal plant will close four years ahead of schedule in 2028. Announcing the move this week, operator Energy Australia said it will build a giant energy storage battery on the site to make room for more renewables. This is a powerful statement about where our energy system is heading.
Yallourn has operated for 47 years burning brown coal. It supplies one-fifth of Victoria’s energy and employs 500 permanent workers and hundreds more contractors. It’s also responsible for 13% of Victoria’s emissions.
In response to the announcement, federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor said:
Our thoughts are with the workers, their families and local business owners who rely on the power station for their livelihoods.
The state government released the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap in late 2020, which outlines NSW’s renewable energy plan and renewable energy targets. Its enabling legislation is the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (NSW), and it also passed both houses of parliament in late 2020. So what do these mean for the state and the country?
More renewable energy investment from the private sector
The primary goal of this renewable energy plan is to put the groundwork, structures and framework in place to attract more private investment in renewable energy solutions.
It lays out a goal of achieving $32 billion in private investment for regional energy infrastructure by 2030, which will result in around 9000 jobs in regional NSW as well. This will be achieved through 12GW of renewable generation through new projects, and 3GW storage by 2030. The roadmap states that would achieve $130 annual savings on the average residential electricity bill and $430 off the average sma