THE NSW GOVERNMENT should throw everything it’s got at ramping up renewable energy and storage so New South Wales can power past the closure of Australia's largest coal-fired power station and into our clean, affordable energy future.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said the slated 2025 closure of Eraring can and must be upheld for NSW to stay on track to meet its emissions reduction targets and unlock a new era of affordable, reliable zero emissions energy.
“Now is the time for Premier Minns to accelerate the move towards affordable, clean energy sources like wind, solar, batteries and pumped hydro,” Ms McKenzie said.
“The renewable energy boom is our best shot at tackling the climate crisis. With the right policies, NSW can create thousands of new clean energy jobs, drive down power bills and continue to deliver reliable electricity supply for homes and businesses.”
The Climate Council has outlined three key steps the NSW Government could take immediately to ensure energy reliability and lower costs as coal-fired power stations continue to close:
"First, we need the Government to task the energy market operator with urgently bringing on more renewables and storage. It can do so by fast tracking tenders for new capacity, releasing a new tender for the 191 megawatts needed to fill the reliability gap caused by the exit of Eraring, and expanding NSW projects underwritten by the federal Capacity Investment Scheme," Ms McKenzie said.
“The Government should also hurry up and approve the 2,300 megawatts of wind and solar projects that are waiting for approval to connect to the existing transmission network. The Government can actively engage with developers to get these projects underway.
“Further, the NSW Government should help large energy users like households, businesses and industry use energy in smarter and more efficient ways. This includes a large energy efficiency package for social and public housing, incentives for commercial batteries and demand response, and support for industrial load shifting.
“The renewable energy transformation is underway, but it needs leadership from the NSW Government. With the right policies now, Eraring’s closure can be managed smoothly while securing more affordable and reliable clean power.”
The Climate Council continues to urge the NSW Government to accelerate renewable energy projects to tackle the climate crisis and ensure Eraring can close on schedule in 2025.
ENDS
For interviews please contact George Hyde on 0431 330 919 or george.hyde@cliamtecouncil.org.au or Jane Gardner on 0438 130 905 or jane.gardner@climatecouncil.org.au.
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