- NSW has received interest for 5.5 GW wind and solar power capacity and more than 2.5 GW long duration storage projects to AEMO led tender
- Proposals will be assessed by AEMO Services with winning projects entering LTESA
- Tender 2 under NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap will seek equivalent of 950 MW power generation, 380 MW firming and up to 600 MW long duration storage facilities
The State Government of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has attracted over 5.5 GW of wind and solar power projects and over 2.5 GW of long duration storage capacity in response to the maiden tender round for renewable energy and storage capacity under its Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.
The storage projects offered include pumped hydro, lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen fuel cells and compressed air storage.
Launched in October 2022, the tender aimed to secure 2,500 GWh annual generation through 950 MW wind and solar, along with 600 MW long duration storage for Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (see NSW Launches Maiden Auction For RE & Storage).
Bids entered will now be assessed by NSW Consumer Trustee which is AEMO Services on the basis of criteria that spans community engagement, regional economic development and land-use opportunities.
Winning projects will come online under long-term energy service agreements (LTESA), underwriting the delivery of built energy resources to benefit the long-term interests of the state’s electricity consumers.
Responding to this ‘overwhelming’ response from the market, NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said, “Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the resulting global energy crisis has added extra impetus to modernize our electricity system. The need for new sources of electricity generation that are not tied to the volatility of global commodity prices has never been greater.”
Moving forward, AEMO Services will seek equivalent of 950 MW of generation, 380 MW firming and up to 600 MW of long duration storage for tender 2, whose actual size may be altered depending on the outcome of tender 1.
It expects for tender 2, planned to be launched in Q2/2023, firming infrastructure in the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong sub-region will be eligible to participate.
“We have a strict mandate to only recommend those projects that can demonstrate value to host communities and financial value to consumers, and in order to be successful bids will need to reflect that,” said AEMO Services Executive General Manager Paul Verschuer.
