NSW Call For Hunter-Central Coast REZ

The Energy Corporation (EnergyCo) of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has opened the registration of interest (ROI) for one more renewable energy zone (REZ) in the state, the Hunter-Central Coast REZ.

This ROI is open to project developers for solar, onshore and offshore wind, distributed energy resources, and transmission and storage projects as batteries and pumped hydro.

EnergyCo also seeks information from businesses with new large electrical loads that are not yet operational as manufacturing, data centers, intensive agriculture or emerging technologies as green hydrogen, ammonia and metal production among others that are seeking to run on renewable energy. It will also consider businesses with existing large electrical loads that are seeking to switch to renewable energy.

It specifies the ROI is also open to developers and businesses with projects located outside the Hunter and Central Coast regions as it believes these may also influence the design and location of the REZ.

Hunter-Central Coast REZ is proposed to be located in the Hunter and Central Coast regions on the lands of the Awabakal, Bahtabah, Biraben, Darkinjung, Mindaribba, Wanaruah and Worimi people.

Like the previous rounds, the infrastructure planning authority for the state, EnergyCo seeks to collect this information to enable it in planning, designing and building a new electricity network in the state.

EnergyCo will accept information through the ROI form till February 4, 2022. Further details are available on the state government’s energy website.

Here’s the current status of the 3 previously announced REZs in the state:

1. Central-West Orana REZ is in its early development phase. It is expected to bring online 3 GW new capacity by mid 2020s, however the government received interest for as much as 27 GW for this one (see NSW Receives 27 GW Interest For 3 GW REZ).
2. For the 8 GW strong New England REZ, the state government is in an early stage of planning. This one was also oversubscribed with 34 GW ROIs coming in response (see 34 GW In Response To 8 GW New England REZ).
3. ROI for the South-West REZ was announced in October 2021 with last date to submit the same being November 24, 2021. The administration is now collating and analyzing the data submitted (see South-West REZ Registration Of Interest Opens).

There is now one more to go in the form of Illawarra REZ on the lands of Dharawal people.