The government of New South Wales, Australia, on Friday officially declared the state’s fourth renewable energy zone, which is the first one offering access to offshore wind.
The Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is set to become home to solar, onshore and offshore wind, battery energy storage and pumped hydro storage capacity. The government has already received offers for nearly 40 GW of projects, representing over AUD 100 billion of potential investment.
The Energy Corporation of NSW, also referred to as EnergyCo, will coordinate capacity deployment and oversee transmission infrastructure requirements. It noted that the region has abundant renewable energy resources and significant port and transport infrastructure facilities.
“REZs are the equivalent of modern-day power stations, connecting multiple renewable energy projects and electricity storage to capitalise on economies of scale and deliver cheap, reliable, and clean electricity for homes and businesses in NSW,” said Mike Young, executive director of EnergyCo.
The new REZ was announced after the declaration of the Central-West Orana, New England and South-West zones.
