New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Power up: How Australia plans for massive Asia renewable energy hub
23/10/2024
8 min read
Feature
Australia plans to establish one of the world’s largest renewable energy production hubs, capitalising on the vast solar and wind resources of the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. This privately-funded initiative, led by BP, represents a significant step in the nation’s push towards renewable energy and its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, encouraged by the country’s centre-left Labour government. Barbara Barkhausen reports from Sydney, Australia.
Formerly known as the Australian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH), the A$50bn (US$33.6bn) project proposal aims to build 1,743 wind turbines and 18 solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, each with a capacity of up to 600 MW. These will deliver an overall renewable energy output at full capacity of up to 26 GW of solar and wind power (by an as yet undetermined date) – one-third of Australia’s electricity output in 2020, according to the government's Australian Energy Update 2021.
Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) says: ‘The project intends to supply renewable power to local customers in the Pilbara, a large mining region, and produce green hydrogen for the domestic Australian market and for export to major international users.’
The AREH project was granted ‘major project status’ in August 2024 by Australia’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), recognising its national importance and potential to stimulate economic growth and job creation. Such projects get extra support from the Australian government, including help with the co-ordination and facilitation of administrative controls such as government environmental, biosecurity or foreign investment approvals.