The Clean Energy Regulator has announced Australia is ‘guaranteed’ to meet its renewable energy target by 2020.
Chair of the Regulator, David Parker said that enough capacity had been approved to guarantee the target of 33,000 gigawatt hours of additional renewable energy would be met.
Mr Parker said this was a major milestone for renewable energy.
He said it had been necessary to build 6,400 megawatts of large-scale renewable capacity between 2017 and this year to generate sufficient electricity to meet the target.
“On 30 August this milestone was met ahead of schedule with the approval of four large wind and solar power stations, with a combined capacity of 406 megawatts,” Mr Parker said.
“This achievement represents the hard work of a growing and dynamic renewables industry.”
He said the approval of the 148.5 megawatt Cattle Hill Wind Farm, owned by Goldwind and partners, saw the milestone surpassed.
“The Cattle Hill Wind Farm is built on the hills above Waddamana Power Station, Tasmania’s first hydro scheme that was opened in 1916,” Mr Parker said.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor said Australia would beat its 2020 and 2030 emissions reduction commitments while ensuring the economy remained strong.
“The Climate Solutions Package maps out how we will achieve our 2030 Paris target,” Mr Taylor said.
