NSW Government to fast‍-‍track renewable energy projects

The NSW Government has announced it will introduce a new law to speed up the delivery of key renewable energy projects to power large energy users.

The proposed legislation will allow the NSW Energy Minister to identify the highest-priority renewable energy projects in the planning pipeline, and prioritise them for streamlining. Priority energy projects must demonstrate best practice in how they work with landholders and communities, particularly in regional NSW.

The state government said the proposed law will not remove any environmental or community assessment requirements. Developers will still need to meet all relevant planning, environmental and consultation obligations.

Renewable energy already provides about 36% of NSW’s annual electricity supply. During the summer period, there were multiple occasions when renewable energy accounted for more than 80% of the electricity supply mix.

The proposed law is designed to build on this progress, by accelerating the infrastructure needed to generate, store and move clean energy across the state.

“The Minns Labor government is committed to ensuring reliable, affordable energy for our heavy industries like the Tomago aluminium smelter, and to power economic growth across the state,” said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe. “This new legislation will mean infrastructure projects that are critical for manufacturing jobs, economic growth and energy affordability don’t get stuck in the queue.”

The Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026 will also support the implementation of the NSW Benefit-Sharing Guideline, ensuring councils and communities hosting projects receive associated benefits.

Further reforms are also in development to improve the way projects are referred to the Independent Planning Commission for determination, to ensure NSW residents continue to have a voice while avoiding delays to energy projects that are critical to the state.

“With a growing pipeline of energy projects ahead of us, we need a planning system that can support achieving our ambitious energy targets,” said Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully. “Since 2023, we’ve already reduced assessment times for renewable energy projects by almost 20% while delivering 50% more approvals.

“These reforms build on that success by enshrining the community benefit scheme and streamlining prioritised projects in the planning system with the most potential to power our state’s future, making sure the right projects are delivered at the right time in the right places in line with our energy goals.”

Image credit: iStock.com/BeyondImages

Originally published here.