Renewable energy projects approved or under construction will step in to replace the 1,680MW capacity of Liddell power station when it closes in 2022, the Australian Wind Alliance said, with 3,600MW of new wind and solar farms ready to play their part.
Australian Wind Alliance national coordinator Andrew Bray says more than 1,000MW of wind and solar are being built in NSW with a further 2,600MW of projects approved and ready to go (see below).
“Cheap renewables combined with modern solutions like batteries and demand management will keep the system reliable and lower power bills,” Bray said.
“New wind and solar farms will generate power at different times in different parts of the state so their output is highly predictable and dependable. And speedy one-to-two-year construction periods mean these projects can be up and running by 2022.”
The government’s inability to put politics aside and support the transition to clean energy is the real reason much of the country risks blackouts this summer, he said.
“You can’t fix engineering problems with politics,” Bray said. “The worst response to spiralling energy bills and a fragile system would be to prop up an old clunker like Liddell.”
Liddell is the oldest plant in Australia’s energy grid and failed during the February heatwave in NSW when it was needed most.
NSW Wind and solar projects
Under construction
5 wind farms – 867MW
5 solar farms – 210MW
Total – 1,077MW
Approved
11 wind farms – 1,547MW
17 solar farms – 1,115MW
Total – 2,677MW
Approved wind farms
| Project | Developer | WTG | MW | ||
| Capital II | Infigen | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 41 | 90 |
| Flyers Creek | Infigen | Approved | Central Tablelands | 42 | 145 |
| Coppabella | Goldwind | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 79 | 266 |
| Biala | Newtricity | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 31 | 100 |
| Conroy’s Gap | Epuron | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 15 | 30 |
| Rye Park | Tilt | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 92 | 276 |
| Boco Rock II | CWP Renewables | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 55 | 93.5 |
| Collector | RATCH | Approved | Southern Tablelands | 63 | 214 |
| Glen Innes | Nexif | Approved | Northern Tablelands | 25 | 75 |
| White Rock 2 | Goldwind | Approved | Northern Tablelands | 49 | 122.5 |
| Crudine Ridge | CWP Renewables | Approved | Central Tablelands | 77 | 135 |
| TOTAL | 11 | 569 | 1,547 |
Approved solar farms
| Project | Region | MW |
| Bomen Solar Energy System | Riverina | 22 |
| Capital Solar | South East | 50 |
| Gidginbung Solar Farm | Riverina | 15 |
| Goonumbla Solar Farm | Central West | 70 |
| Gullen Solar Farm | South East | 10 |
| Gunnedah Solar Farm | North West | 27 |
| Kyoto Energy Park | Hunter | 137 |
| Limondale Solar | Western | 250 |
| Metz Solar Park | Northern Tablelands | 100 |
| Moree Solar Farm and Subdivision | North West | 4 |
| Narromine Solar PV Farm | Central West | 11 |
| Nevertire Solar | Central West | 105 |
| Riverina Solar | Riverina | 30 |
| Sunraysia Solar | Western | 200 |
| Walgett | North West | 30 |
| Western plains Solar Energy System | Central West | 29 |
| Molong Solar Farm | Central Tablelands | 25 |
| Total | 1,115 |