The Orana Central West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia has achieved a major milestone by becoming the first REZ to submit an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS ) for a transmission project that will connect the REZ to the electricity grid.
Once complete, the Central West Orana REZ will deliver at least 3 gigawatts (GW) of transmitted electricity, which is enough to power 1.4 million homes, according to a press release from the NSW Minister for Energy and Climate Change.
The REZ project will bring NSW closer to its target of replacing 12 GW of renewable energy generation and 2 GW of long-term storage by 2030. Transmission and generation projects in the central West Orana REZ area will deliver up to 6.32 billion of dollars (10 AUD). billion) in private investment in the region and around 5,000 jobs at the peak of construction, according to the statement. The central West Orana REZ covers an area of ​​approximately 7,722 square miles (20,000 square kilometres) and is connected to cities and towns such as Dubbo, Dunedoo and Mudgee.
The EIS is the result of more than two years of technical studies and community consultation, according to the statement, which includes a detailed assessment of potential impacts on visual amenities, agriculture, roads, noise, biodiversity, water resources and cumulative impacts in the infrastructure of the community. and services such as housing and health services in the region.
“The submission of the Environmental Impact Statement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that NSW households, businesses and industry can access clean, affordable and reliable energy as coal-fired power stations are phased out,” he said. said the Minister of Energy, Penny Sharpe. “It shows the NSW Government is getting back on the road map for renewables, so we can ensure there is enough renewable energy to replace old coal-fired power stations.”
“The Central-West Orana transmission project will be able to connect at least 3 GW of renewable energy generated by wind and solar projects, which is enough to power a quarter of the state’s energy demand, as well as a further 2 GW of “firm storage,” Sharpe noted. “We will work closely with communities through the Environmental Impact Statement process.”
Budget for Clean Energies
A total of $2.47 billion (AUD$3.9 billion) is being invested in NSW’s clean energy future in the current financial year as part of the 2023-2024 Budget, according to a separate press release. The NSW Government said it is committed to transitioning the energy system to meet its emissions reduction targets of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
The NSW Government is committing $630 million (AUD$1 billion) to establish an Energy Security Corporation that aims to invest in storage and reclamation projects such as pumped hydro and address gaps of the market These projects could include community batteries and virtual power plants that will allow homes and communities to pool electricity generated from rooftop solar power, reducing their reliance on the grid and lowering their electricity bills, according to the communicated
The government is also committing $508.45 million (AUD$804 million) to a transmission acceleration facility to connect REZs to the grid earlier, while $820 million (AUD$1.3 billion million AUD) is committed to offering energy rebates and a target energy bill rebate to up to 1.6 million eligible. households and about 300,000 eligible small businesses.
To drive net zero manufacturing, the NSW Government is committing $303.55 million (AUD$480 million) to ensure NSW workers, small businesses and industries receive the benefits of the transition to renewable energy. Local manufacturing capacity and the ability to deliver critical components for NSW’s emerging renewable energy sector will be expanded. The government will also help companies manufacture low-carbon products at scale, the statement said.
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