Victoria has formally declared five onshore renewable energy zones (REZs) and one “shoreline” REZ that will lay the foundations for the state’s step-change from its current share of around 45 per cent of battery-backed wind and solar to 65 per cent by 2030 and 95 per cent by 2035.
Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio on Friday locked in the final design of the five onshore zones – South West, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Western and North West – and the Gippsland Shoreline REZ, after making some changes to the draft that was put forward for consultation in November.
The November draft set aside for further consultation a sixth onshore zone – the Central North REZ, that has been proposed in two sections: a western section between Bendigo and Tatura, and eastern section between Shepparton and Glenrowan.
The final design of the REZ map – see below – leaves the Central North REZ in the “proposed but not declared” basket, while locking in the REZ’s put forward in November, albeit with sharper boundaries and some nips and tucks to the areas included within them.
One of the biggest changes since the draft has been to the South West REZ, which had been proposed to cover two sections – a north section, between Casterton and Balmoral (known locally as the Dundas Tablelands), and a south section, south-west of Hamilton, between Macarthur and Darlington.
