Record $1.2 billion renewable energy infrastructure budget vital to meet state’s 2050 target

Nature Conservation Council

The NSW Government’s record $1.2 billion renewable energy infrastructure investment is a vital step in making NSW carbon neutral by 2050. [1]

“This announcement will drop another vital piece into the state’s renewable energy puzzle,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.

“NSW has some of the best renewable energy resources anywhere in the world, but we need a pipeline to get that energy from renewable energy zones like the Central West and the Northern Tablelands to our cities.

“It’s great that NSW continues to lead the renewables revolution in Australia.

“An infrastructure program this large could have a very significant environmental impact, especially on wildlife and bushland if new power mains are routed through natural areas.

“While the need to connect new solar and wind plants to the grid is urgent, the government must minimise the impact this infrastructure has on nature.

“We have seen with the development of Snowy 2.0 how bushland and wildlife can become collateral damage if environmental protections are not observed.”

REFERENCE

[1] NSW to make single biggest investment in renewable energy, SMH, 10-6-22.

/Public Release. View in full here.