New wind farms face stumbling block in ‘basket case’ NSW
Wind farm developers in NSW say their projects are being stalled by approval delays, community objections and slow connections to the power grid, putting at risk investments needed to help retire coal and reach Australia’s renewable energy targets.
No wind farms have been granted planning approval for 28 months in the country’s most populous state, and companies with projects in the pipeline say a breakthrough is needed soon to have a chance of reaching 2030 climate goals and to head off the risk that coal-fired power plants will be needed for longer.
Wind farm projects are facing delays nationwide, but NSW is by far the worst performer.
“Permitting, grid connection and community acceptance are affecting the delivery of renewable energy projects across Australia and putting our ambitious targets at risk,” said Leigh Newbery, Engie’s general manager for asset development and delivery.
“We’re seeing a disconnect between the urgency to address climate change and the urgency to deliver the projects that are critical to doing so.”
Approvals for large-scale wind and solar projects have slumped 75 per cent across the mainland states in the National Electricity Market since 2018, with NSW worst placed with only four wind farms getting clearance in that time, according to research firm Rystad Energy.
Wind and solar project approvals now take typically 1½ to 2 years, up from six to 12 months previously, said Rystad analyst David Dixon, adding that only Queensland has a rate of project approvals outpacing the capacity required to reach 2030 targets.
While wind projects in south-west Victoria are being held up by strict conditions to preserve the iconic brolga waterbird, the issues are broader, sources say.
“More broadly, project
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