The projects will provide 623 megawatts (MW) of new renewable capacity and four big batteries to help meet Victoria’s target of 100 per cent renewable electricity across government operations by 2025.
The state government’s aim is to power Victoria’s entire public sector infrastructure with renewable energy, including every government school, hospital and Melbourne’s entire metropolitan train and tram network.
State Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio has announced the six successful projects from Victoria’s second renewable auction, which aim to drive down power bills for Victorian families, lower emissions and create jobs.
“We’re powering every government building with cheap, clean renewable energy — boosting investment in the state by over a billion dollars and creating hundreds of jobs as we combat climate change,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“Victoria is the nation’s clean energy powerhouse — cutting emissions by more than any other state, tripling the amount of renewable energy and creating thousands of jobs.”
Together, the projects will generate nearly 1460 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new renewable energy per year, the equivalent of powering 300,000 homes.
The projects are expected to support 920 direct jobs, create around 290 positions for apprentices, trainees and cadets, and deliver $1.48 billion in investment.
About 200 Australian and New Zealand companies will be building and maintaining the projects, delivering more work for businesses across Victoria.
The projects are also required to make sure more of the program’s benefits stay in local communities by using local products and suppliers.
Four successful battery projects will double the state’s current storage with 365 MW and 600 MWh of dispatchable energy for the grid, which is equal to the capacity of all the big batteries installed in Victoria today.
The projects will support Victoria’s new Renewable Energy Storage Targets of 2.6 GW by 2030 and 6.3 GW of storage by 2035.
The auction will also boost the economy by increasing Victoria’s renewable electricity supply, putting downward pressure on power prices and helping cut Victoria’s emissions from our energy sector.
The projects will be supported for 10 years and will be developed across four Victorian Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) in Western Victoria, the Murray River, Central North and Gippsland.
Victoria surpassed its first Victorian Renewable Energy Target for 25 per cent renewable electricity by 2020, and it’s well on its way to achieving remaining targets of 40 per cent by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030.
For more information on the new renewable energy projects you can visit www.energy.vic.gov.au/vret2
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