AEMO Services has announced the first tranche of renewable energy projects totalling $2.5 billion in investment, which includes two solar farms, a wind farm, and a long-duration battery that will generate 1.4 gigawatts of renewable energy output in NSW.
According to the NSW Government, with the announcement of 1.4 gigawatts of additional generation, NSW has now committed to 4.1 gigawatts of its legislated 12-gigawatt objective. NSW is currently one-third of the way to fulfilling its 2030 objective.
AEMO Services assessed and awarded these generating and long-duration storage infrastructure projects, which will help to replace the State’s current coal-fired generators.
“These projects will fill the gap that will be left with the planned closures of coal-fired power stations in the coming decade,” Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said.
Long Term Energy Service Agreements (LTESAs) have been given to two solar farms and one wind farm, which include:
- ACEN Australia’s 720-megawatt New England Solar Farm in the New England Renewable Energy Zone
- ACEN Australia’s 400-megawatt Stubbo Solar Farm in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
- Goldwind Australia Pty Ltd’s 275-megawatt Coppabella Wind Farm in the Southern Tablelands
An LTESA will be given to a long-duration chemical battery capable of delivering at least 8 hours of continuous discharge of stored electricity. This is RWE Renewables Australia’s Limondale BESS, which has a capacity of 50MW/400MWh and is located in the South West Renewable Energy Zone.
“This tender has shown how much demand there is to invest in NSW to build renewable energy and it is very welcome that this investment will also support 3300 jobs over the next 10 years,” Minister Sharpe said.
The projects are the first in a 10-year rolling tender strategy that will see tenders every six months as NSW transforms to more dependable, clean, and affordable renewable energy.
AEMO Services anticipates that these projects will be operational and connected to the grid by the time Eraring Power Station is scheduled to close in 2025 or 2026.
Throughout the 20-year contract, AEMO Services estimates that these projects will displace up to 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Separately, EnergyCo selected ACE Energy as the first-ranked proponent as a Network Operator for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, which is an important part of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.
