The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has confirmed 10 new utility-scale projects for Western Australia under Tenders 5 and 6 of the Federal Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme.
The projects will collectively deliver 1.886 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable generation alongside 3.683 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of standalone battery storage into Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market.
According to DCCEEW, the new capacity is expected to strengthen energy reliability as ageing generators retire and electricity demand continues to increase across the state. Once operational, the projects are forecast to generate enough renewable electricity to supply more than one million Western Australian households while supporting peak demand for over 400,000 homes for up to four hours.
The developments are also expected to generate significant economic activity across regional Western Australia, supporting more than 7000 construction jobs and more than 500 ongoing operations and maintenance positions over the projects’ operational lifetimes.
DCCEEW stated that developers have additionally committed funding towards local communities, First Nations participation and the use of Australian-made materials.
Projects supported under Tender 5 have committed an estimated $67.1 million in community shared benefits, $89.7 million in First Nations benefits and more than $20.6 million in Australian-made steel procurement. Tender 6 projects include a further $8.6 million in community benefits, $67.3 million in First Nations benefits and more than $1.6 million in Australian-made steel commitments.
The approved portfolio includes a mix of large-scale wind, solar and battery storage projects led by developers including Neoen Australia, Synergy Renewable Energy Developments, Tilt Renewables, Zephyr Energy, Trina Solar and Frontier Energy.
Among the largest projects approved are the 470 megawatt (MW) Parron Maam Marang Wind Farm, the 420 MW Yathroo Wind Farm and Trina Solar’s Killawarra Hybrid Project, that combine 350 MW of solar generation with 2100 MWh of battery storage.
For more information, visit the DCCEEW website.
