The Climate Council welcomes the first use of the national Capacity Investment Scheme which will boost clean, cheap and reliable renewable energy as Australia transitions away from fossil fuels.

The New South Wales Government has announced it will seek to secure almost one gigawatt of new dispatchable renewable energy capacity to firm up the state’s supply of clean energy in the years ahead.

Climate Council Head of Advocacy, Dr Jennifer Rayner, said: “Renewables are the only way forward. The New South Wales Government is amping up the roll-out of reliable clean energy to deliver affordable, secure energy for homes and businesses across our most populous state.

“This is leadership that governments around Australia can follow to make energy prices lower and more stable for Australians to tackle cost-of-living pressures. This will also ensure reliable electricity supply as coal-fired power stations increasingly exit our grid. 

“It’s a strong sign the Capacity Investment Scheme is working as intended to drive more new investment in renewable electricity backed by batteries, pumped hydro and other long duration storage technologies.”

ENDS

For interviews please contact Zerene Catacutan on 0438 972 260 or zerene.catacutan@climatecouncil.org.au

The Climate Council is Australia’s leading community-funded climate change communications organisation. It was founded through community donations in 2013, immediately after the then-Abbott Government dismantled the Climate Commission. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community. For further information, go to: climatecouncil.org.au Or follow us on social media: facebook.com/climatecouncil and twitter.com/climatecouncil