‘Build baby build’: Pre-election priority list of renewable energy projects

Australia’s energy ministers have done what they can to fast-track dozens of projects, with sovereign risk hanging over the nation’s clean energy transition.

The inaugural Priority List agreed by federal, state and territory governments identifies 56 priority renewable energy projects that could be completed by 2031.

It comes on the eve of a tight federal election that may add nuclear to the planning mix and extend the life of ageing coal-fired generators if the Coalition ousts Labor in May.

“The priority list will help all levels of government to prioritise these projects through various regulatory processes, providing greater certainty to the industry and local communities awaiting decisions,” federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s office told The Energy.

Context

• Project owners are not required, or able, to apply to be included on the list.
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• Eligibility criteria included projects being greater than 30MW, pre-construction, on-grid, scheduled for completion by 31 December 2031, and key transmission projects that supported the integration of renewables into the grid.
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• The list draws from a database that included AEMO Generation Information, the Clean Energy Regulator Renewable Energy Pipeline, and Rystad Renewable Energy Cube, supplemented with data sourced from AEMO’s most current market analysis and plans – which are contested by the federal opposition.

Why it matters

• The winning projects get a helping hand from bureaucrats to navigate multi-layered regulatory planning and environmental approval processes.
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• The list has been drawn up to provide greater investment certainty, while ensuring the benefits of well-planned projects that get the nod are shared with communities.

WA gets strong mandate for energy transition

Western Australia’s re-elected Labor government has been urged to get on with accelerating the energy transition, opening up industrial land and streamlining approvals.

Labor Premier Roger Cook won an emphatic victory after a lacklustre result for the Liberals who had hoped to reclaim traditional strongholds to set the scene for a stronger showing in the upcoming federal election.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA Chief Executive Rebecca Tomkinson said the result came at a pivotal time in the state’s history.

“Premier Cook has outlined an ambitious vision to expand the State’s mining and manufacturing bases and produce more goods – including batteries, wind turbines and transmission lines – here in WA,” Tomkinson said.

“Key to realising those goals is a rapid acceleration in WA’s energy transition to deliver electricity that is low-emission, reliable and internationally cost-competitive,” she said.

What’s next

On WA Labor’s to-do list:

• A $50 million battery manufacturing program of direct grants and low-interest loans to developers.
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• New Western Power energy infrastructure manufacturing facilities in Picton and Forrestfield.
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• An $8 million partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre for local manufacturing of wind turbines and components.
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• A green iron and steel action plan to be developed with industry.
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• Support for a 50MW vanadium battery project in Kalgoorlie to stimulate the emerging vanadium sector and create opportunities for local battery manufacturing.
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• One-off home battery rebates of up to $5,000 for Synergy customers and up to $7,500 for Horizon Power customers to be available from 1 July 2025.

Possible handbrakes

• A plan to reportedly charge industrial customers $100,000 per megawatt for new transmission network connections to the SWIS.
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• State-owned utility Synergy being able to fund its asset investment program. The government says it's committed to retaining public ownership of Synergy.
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• Federal approval still to come for 2070 extension to North West Shelf gas production.

News wrap

Projects

The Blue Economy CRC launched Tasmania’s first green hydrogen production plant which will act as a research facility but also provide commercial-scale hydrogen for industry and transport applications. The project is hosted at BOC Australia’s Lutana site, with support from the Tasmanian government, Pitt & Sherry, Optimal Group, the University of Tasmania, Griffith University and Hydro Tasmania. Tasmania has a goal to reach 200 per cent renewable electricity generation by 2040.

The state-owned Dubai Electricity & Water Authority invited tenders from international developers for the 1600 MW seventh phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The project will include a battery energy storage system with a total storage capacity of 6,000 MWh, making it one of the world’s largest solar-plus-storage projects.

Battery storage in the US is on track for another record-breaking year in 2025, Cleanview reported. Developers expect to build 18.1 GW of new capacity – nearly double what was built in 2024, with 12.3 GW already under construction or awaiting final commercial operation. This would see capacity growth of 68 per cent in 2025, an even faster pace than 2024’s record-setting year.

Policy

Victoria will lead a push at this Friday’s energy ministers meeting for the federal government to underwrite gas imports into Australia, The Australian reported. The plan would see AEMO become an anchor buyer of LNG likely from Squadron Energy’s plant in Port Kembla and Viva ­Energy’s Geelong facility, which is yet to be approved by the Victorian government. APA Group has in the past floated an alternative plan to transport gas supplies from new sources which it says could be done at a lower cost than LNG terminals.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ruled out an early election as cyclone Alfred approached the east coast. “I have no intention of doing anything that distracts from what we need to do. And what we need to do is to look after each other at this difficult time,” he told ABC’s 7.30.

The federal budget will be handed down on 25 March, as scheduled.

Technology

BloombergNEF named 6 six companies as finalists in a competition category focused on innovations in energy storage. They are German organic SolidFlow battery provider CMBlu Energy; Israeli carbon battery technology company EExion Energy; Chinese solid state battery innovator Hytzer; German battery-based portable power supplier Instagrid; Singaporean battery recycling specialist NEU Battery Materials; and Swedish early stage CO2-neutral graphite company Nordic Bio-Graphite.

People

CSIRO Chair Kathryn Fagg has stepped aside for personal reasons, with Deputy Chair Ming Long appointed to the role. Renewable energy and sustainability expert Vanessa Sullivan joins the CSIRO Board. Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said CSIRO had benefitted from having such a pioneering woman in STEM at the helm. “I welcome Ming Long as the new Chair – an accomplished executive who brings with her exceptional corporate governance insight,” he said. “These appointments will help ensure the strong leadership and governance of CSIRO into the future.”

What's on

Resources Minister Madeleine King will deliver the keynote speech at the Energy Exchange conference in Perth on March 13, entitled: "A strong and sustainable future for Australia’s energy sector."