New South Wales is celebrating a major renewable milestone, with the approval of three new wind projects that can deliver a combined 2404MW of clean energy.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, said the announcement marks a huge milestone in the Federal Government’s plan to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.
The new projects will build on the record amount of renewables already generating clean and cheap energy, with renewables meeting 46 per cent of demand in the national grid in Q4 2024.
Following state government processes including community consultation, three new renewable energy projects in New South Wales have been given the green light:
- 1,332MW Liverpool Range Wind Farm near Coolah, within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
- 700MW Spicers Creek Wind Farm Project near Gulgong, within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
- 372MW Hills of Gold Wind Farm near Nundle
These three projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6.5Mt – the equivalent to taking more than two million passenger cars off the road every year.
The Federal Government said projects like these are vital to putting downward pressure on price and cleaner energy, but they are also great for regional economies too.
These three new projects are expected to create 1,340 jobs in construction and 80 ongoing jobs.
The 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.
Ms Plibersek said the Federal Government has now approved a record 77 renewable energy projects.
“I’ve now approved enough new renewable energy to power more than ten million homes – nearly every single Australian household, with 15GW of renewable energy already added to the grid.”
