“Largest ever tender” for renewable energy projects opens for bids

​The biggest single tender for an Australian renewable energy projects opened on Friday, with bids welcomed for projects delivering 6 gigawatts of generation across the National Electricity Market (NEM.)

According to a statement from federal energy minister Chris Bowen, it is the first in a series of six-monthly tenders as part of a plan to deliver 32 gigawatts of new generation and storage to the nation by 2030.

“24 coal plants totaling 26.7GW announced closure dates under the former Government and the Australian Energy Market Operator has confirmed we need generation now for reliability as more than 90 per cent of our coal generation leaves the market over the next decade,” Bowen said.

The 6 gigawatt tender was announced last month by Bowen and NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe.

As noted by @AuManufacturing, there was no mention of any role for local industry in the statement at the time.

The May tender includes 2.2 gigawatts allocated exclusively for NSW, 0.3 gigawatts for South Australia, 1.4 gigawatts for Victoria and 0.3 gigawatts for Tasmania. 

Projects bidding for investment must have a target completion date of 2027.

Another 1.8 gigawatts will be allocated “across the National Electricity Market, including Queensland, to the most meritorious projects” according to the statement  

The first round of tenders for Western Australia, targeting 500 megawatts of storage, “will commence mid-year.”

Picture: credit aemoservices.com.au