ENERGYAUSTRALIA'S $1.5 BILLION INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLES
In December 2016, EnergyAustralia announced a $1.5 billion commitment to buy around 500 megawatts of power from new wind and solar energy projects in eastern Australia.
Managing Director Catherine Tanna said the program would provide support for the renewable energy developments to get built.
'These projects will come to underpin energy supply in Australia as coal-fired power plants are retired, so customers can continue to enjoy reliable, affordable energy,' said Ms Tanna.
The company has wasted no time making good on its commitment. Since the $1.5 billion program was announced, EnergyAustralia has signed 13-year power purchase agreements for:
- all the electricity from First Solar's 48.5 megawatt capacity Manildra solar farm in regional New South Wales.
- 80 per cent of the output from the Ross River Solar Farm, a 142 megawatt development in Queensland jointly owned by Palisade Investment Partners and ESCO Pacific
- all the electricity from what will be Victoria's first large-scale solar project, the 60 megawatt Gannawarra Solar Farm, developed by Edify Energy, and
- 60 per cent of the renewable energy generated from the 113 megawatt capacity Bodangora wind farm in New South Wales, being developed by Infigen Energy.
EnergyAustralia has now secured power purchase agreements for 285 megawatts of renewable energy in less than three months of the program, more than half way to its goal of 500 megawatts.
'As an owner of coal-fired power stations, EnergyAustralia has a responsibility to provide leadership on the best, most cost-effective means of reducing emissions and addressing climate change,' said Ms Tanna.
'For us, that means broadening Australia's energy mix by finding and supporting quality renewable projects on behalf of our customers,' she said.
EnergyAustralia's negotiations with other solar and wind projects are well advanced, with the full 500 megawatts expected to be committed within the next year.
EnergyAustralia provided this content.