Interest in $100 billion worth of renewable energy projects registered for Hunter Valley coal region

Offshore wind farms, pumped hydro, and large scale battery storage are among more than $100 billion of private investment interest registered for a Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

New South Wales Energy Minister Matt Kean said the region, currently driven by the coal industry, will continue to be the “energy powerhouse of NSW”.

It is the fourth of five REZs the government is pursuing with zones in the Central West, New England, and Riverina already well advanced.

But this one targets the resource-rich Hunter region where some farmers and residents are vehemently opposed to the idea of wind farms.

Mr Kean said there was commercial interest in 24 solar energy projects, 13 onshore and seven offshore wind energy projects, as well as 35 large-scale batteries and eight pumped hydro projects.

He said combined the projects have the capacity to deliver more than 100,000 gigawatt hours of renewable energy a year — equivalent to the annual output of up to 10 coal fired power stations.

“Renewable energy zones are vital to ensuring the future reliability and affordability of electricity in NSW as traditional coal fired power stations close down over the coming decades,” he said.

Transition jobs

The 87 projects with commercial interest encompass 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) from the Central Coast to the Upper Hunter.

Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said the investment would create new jobs in the Hunter Valley to support its transition.

“It’s not necessarily like for like, but the opportunities will be there,” he said.

“The Hunter-Central Coast region is the perfect location for a new REZ as it has good renewable energy resources, access to transmission, transport and port infrastructure, and most importantly a highly skilled workforce.

Coal-reliant valley to pivot

The Upper Hunter has NSW’s highest concentration of coal workers with census data revealing that 15.4 per cent of the Upper Hunter electorate are mine workers.

Soon to be released data from the University of Newcastle shows that the employment of more than 16,000 people in the Greater Hunter relies on the coal industry.

Recently, the largest mine in the region has slashed its value and its owner has tried to sell up.

Meanwhile, other mines have proposed expanding, including Muswellbrook’s Mount Pleasant coal mine, owned by MACH Energy.

It has applied to extract until 2048, far beyond the NSW government’s goal of halving carbon emissions by 2030.

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Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the REZ “will not only attract investment in clean energy”.

The NSW government plans to have the Hunter-Central Coast REZ formally declared under the NSW government’s Electricity Roadmap legislation by mid-year.