By Hawkesbury Gazette
A proposed overhaul of New South Wales' renewable energy strategy could deliver lower power bills and improve energy security for Hawkesbury households and businesses, according to Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston.
The NSW Liberal and Nationals Coalition has announced a new energy policy centred on the creation of City Renewable Energy Zones (City REZs), designed to generate and store more electricity closer to where it is used.
Rather than relying solely on large-scale renewable projects in regional areas, the proposal would encourage industrial precincts, commercial buildings, apartment complexes and local communities to install more rooftop solar and battery storage, helping reduce pressure on the electricity grid.
Ms Preston said Hawkesbury families and businesses had endured years of rising electricity prices and deserved a practical solution.
"For years Labor governments have promised lower power bills, but families and businesses across Hawkesbury are being hit harder than ever by rising energy costs," Ms Preston said. "Our plan puts the community at the centre of energy policy, providing the bill relief people have been waiting years for."
The Coalition says generating more electricity close to where it is consumed would improve reliability, reduce transmission losses and make better use of existing infrastructure.
The policy also proposes establishing an Outback Renewable Energy Zone in the Far West while reviewing the scope of the New England Renewable Energy Zone, which the Coalition says is significantly over budget and behind schedule.
As part of that review, the Coalition says it would prioritise upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure and remove the need for the proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line corridor in the New England region.
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said the transition away from coal-fired power remained necessary but should be affordable and undertaken in partnership with communities.
"New South Wales needs new generation and storage as coal retires, but the transition must be affordable, deliverable and undertaken in partnership with communities," she said.
Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh said renewable energy projects should not unnecessarily impact productive agricultural land.
"We have listened to local communities and are putting forward a practical plan that delivers energy security while reducing unnecessary impacts on landholders and the environment," Mr Singh said.
For the Hawkesbury, the proposal could create opportunities for businesses, community facilities and larger commercial buildings to invest in solar and battery technology, while reducing pressure on the electricity network during periods of peak demand.
The Coalition estimates the plan could unlock enough electricity generation and storage capacity to power around 10 million homes, roughly equivalent to every household in Australia.
The policy forms part of the Coalition's alternative energy strategy and would require implementation by a future Coalition government if elected.
