Victoria considers 600MW of new renewables to help drive economic recovery

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Image: Neoen

The Australian state of Victoria has started a process to test industry interest and capacity for new solar, wind and other renewable energy projects.

To help drive the economic recovery from coronavirus, the state’s government has launched a market sounding process to explore the addition of at least 600MW of green energy. The review will also look at the potential for large electricity-consuming businesses to buy renewable energy along with the government.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

It represents the next step in Victoria’s efforts to boost investment in Renewable Energy Zones, with more support lined up to expedite and streamline grid connections.

Launching the process, the state government pointed to the success of its 2017 Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) auction, which exceeded an initial 650MW target to deliver 928MW of green energy.

The proposal has been welcomed by climate change communications organisation the Climate Council, which recently revealed that supporting large-scale wind and solar could create up to 4,000 jobs in Victoria, while helping the state meet its 50% renewable energy target by 2030.

“Victoria has been hit hard by COVID-19, and investing in clean jobs will help the state’s economy to bounce back as it begins to reopen in the coming months,” Tim Baxter, Climate Council senior researcher, said.

Australia’s renewable energy association the Clean Energy Council estimates that 900 construction jobs along with 120 operations and maintenance positions could be created through the new projects.

Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said the proposals mark an “important step” for Victoria’s clean recovery and for Australia as a whole.

“It will be critical to ensure these projects can connect to the grid. We’re pleased to hear that the Victorian Government is supporting the streamlining of the grid connection process and also the development of the renewable energy zone model to ensure these projects can contribute positively to the grid while providing investor confidence,” Thornton added.

According to the state government, Victoria is on track to meet its 2020 renewable energy target of 25%, and procuring new generation will make a “significant contribution” to meeting the 2025 target of 40% green energy.

Read Next

Premium
October 2, 2025
Australia's solar sector delivered a strong September performance in the National Electricity Market (NEM) as the country entered spring, with combined solar PV generation reaching 3,933GWh - a 17.83% increase from August's 3,338GWh.
October 2, 2025
FRV Australia has announced the completion of its largest solar project to date, the 300MW Walla Walla Solar Farm in New South Wales.
October 1, 2025
Engie Australia's 250MW Goorambat East Solar Farm has registered with AEMO, marking the project’s readiness for the commissioning phase.
September 30, 2025
SynergyRED, a wholly owned subsidiary of Synergy, has submitted a development application for a 2GW hybrid renewable energy project in Western Australia's Mid-West Region.
September 29, 2025
Fortescue has established a strategic partnership with Chinese solar manufacturing giant LONGi to supply solar PV modules as part of its ‘Real Zero’ emissions by 2030 strategy.
September 29, 2025
Australia's CER has disclosed that 1.5GW of new renewable energy capacity in the NEM received authorisation in the second quarter of 2025.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland