The Albanese Government has now approved enough new renewable energy to power the equivalent of nearly every single household in Australia.
This is a huge milestone in the Government's plan to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.
These new projects will build on the record amount of renewables already generating clean and cheap energy, with renewables meeting 46% of demand in the national grid last quarter.
Following state government processes including community consultation, three new renewable energy projects in New South Wales have been given the green light:
- 1,332 megawatt Liverpool Range Wind Farm near Coolah, within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
- 700 megawatt Spicers Creek Wind Farm Project near Gulgong, within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
- 372 megawatt Hills of Gold Wind Farm near Nundle
These three projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6.5 million tonnes - equivalent to taking more than 2 million passenger cars off the road every year.
We know projects like this are vital to putting downward pressure on price and cleaner energy, but they are also great for regional economies too. These three projects will create 1,340 jobs in construction and 80 ongoing jobs.
The Government has now approved a record 77 renewable energy projects - equivalent to powering over 10 million homes. This is the most renewable energy any government has ticked off in Australian history.
These approvals come with strict conditions to protect nature, including height limits and locations of turbines, land clearing limits, and management plans for birds and bats.
Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek MP:
"Unlike the climate deniers and environmental vandals of the Liberal and National party, Labor is getting on with the job of transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower.
"I've now approved enough new renewable energy to power more than 10 million homes - nearly every single Australian household.
"We've already added 15GW of renewable energy to the grid. That's more energy capacity than Peter Dutton's entire nuclear plan could hope to produce in 25 years.
"This is what action on cost of living and climate change looks like.
"The choice is clear - a Labor government that is pumping renewables into the grid at record highs, or Peter Dutton and his $600 billion nuclear fantasy that pushes up power bills and keeps emissions higher for longer."
