Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has announced 19 renewable energy projects that will add 6.4GW of clean energy to the National Electricity Market (NEM) in what has been the nation’s biggest renewable energy tender to date.
The projects were chosen as part of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) Tender 1 and are located across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland. Together, they mark a major step towards Australia’s target of 82% renewable electricity by 2030.
Related article: Capacity Investment Scheme tenders boosted to 10GW
The new projects include:
- New South Wales: 7 projects producing 3.7GW (plus 900MWh of battery storage)
- Victoria: 7 projects producing 1.6GW (plus 1,500MWh of storage)
- South Australia: 2 projects producing 574MW
- Queensland: 3 projects producing 550MW (plus 1,200MWh of storage).
These projects use a mix of solar, wind, and hybrid technologies—renewables combined with battery storage. More than 40% of the projects include battery storage to ensure energy reliability during periods of low sunlight or wind.
Related article: Draft report shows renewables’ cost advantage over nuclear
The successful projects will deliver broad economic and social benefits, including $660 million for community development initiatives; $280 million for First Nations benefits; over $14 billion invested in local suppliers and businesses, driving regional growth; $60 million allocated to local employment opportunities; and new jobs and training programs, including apprenticeships and renewable energy education initiatives.
Most of these projects are expected to begin operating between 2026 and 2028.
