The Victorian Government has approved two new renewable energy projects under its Development Facilitation Program (DFP), aimed at accelerating the delivery of clean and affordable energy across the state.
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny announced the approval of a 332-megawatt solar farm in Meadow Creek, near Wangaratta, and a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Hazelwood.
The projects are part of the state’s ongoing effort to bring more renewable power online and reduce energy costs for households, as revealed in a news release.
Since the DFP was expanded to include renewable energy developments last year, the Victorian Government said it has facilitated more than $7.8 billion in investment across 22 projects, creating over 3,000 construction and operational jobs.
Once completed, these projects are expected to collectively generate enough electricity to power more than 700,000 homes annually, the government noted.
According to the government, the newly approved Meadow Creek solar farm will generate enough energy to power around 140,000 homes and create over 400 construction jobs, with 60 ongoing roles once operational.
The 250-megawatt Hazelwood BESS is reported to become capable of meeting evening peak demand for approximately 85,000 homes and is expected to support 150 construction jobs and five ongoing positions.
Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said the government’s streamlined approval pathway is helping deliver renewable projects more efficiently while supporting investment and job creation.
“Our fast-tracked pathway has unlocked nearly $8 billion worth of investment into renewable energy projects – helping provide cheaper and cleaner energy to hundreds of thousands of Victorian households,” Minister Kilkenny said.
Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio said the projects reflect Victoria’s commitment to growing its clean energy capacity and regional employment base.
“These projects will provide tens of thousands of Victorian households with cheaper and cleaner energy – creating more than 500 jobs in the process,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.
The Victorian Government said proponents for both projects undertook consultation with the community and relevant authorities, including the Country Fire Authority, Agriculture Victoria, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, and local water authorities.
