The New South Wales government has officially launched its biggest ever renewable energy tender, along with a new call for long duration storage that it says is critical to “keep the lights on” and push prices down as the last of its coal fired generators exit the grid.
The tender – as flagged by Renew Economy last week – will seek 2.5 gigawatts of new wind and solar capacity, with a special emphasis on wind and solar-battery hybrids that can push the output outside of daytime periods when rooftop solar dominates the grid.
Another 12 gigawatt hours of long duration storage is also being sought – from batteries and pumped hydro – to make sure supply is maintained and dispatched when demand is high or when weather conditions are not ideal for renewables.
“This is the largest renewable generation tender in NSW history, and it shows just how serious we are about delivering cheaper and more reliable power for households and businesses,” state climate and energy minister Penny Sharpe said in a statement.
“Tender 8 alone will deliver enough energy to power about one-third of homes in NSW, marking a major step forward in our plan to future-proof NSW’s electricity system.
