Only three wind farms were connected to the power grid last year. Here's what's holding up Australia's clean energy transition.
ABCLike many things, solving the climate crisis is all about science and maths. But according to the Clean Energy Council, only three wind farms with a total of 115 turbines were commissioned and connected to grid across Australia last year. Analysis by law-firm Herbert Smith Freehills and the Clean Energy Investor Group found that for the last five years, the average approval time frame for large-scale renewable energy projects in NSW was 746 days. "New South Wales is … unfortunately regarded as one of the most difficult states when it comes to the approval and assessment of clean energy projects" said Mr Corbell, who noted some companies were instead choosing to develop projects in Queensland, which has a state-owned electricity network and much clearer planning rules. Acciona's Orana wind farm near Dunedoo, in western NSW, had promised to produce 600 megawatts of power but late last year, the energy giant quietly slashed the project's capacity by two-thirds to 250 megawatts.
History of this topic
Taxpayers to subsidise renewable energy projects as government concedes Australia set to miss targets
ABCQueensland government plans to build Australia's largest state-owned wind farm — to be operational by 2026
ABCAs wind power is developed in NSW’s north west, questions are raised about their impact on locals
ABCNSW Government's $32 billion renewable energy plan announced
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