Climate Energy Finance (CEF) has welcomed the Western Australian government’s announcement of a 75 per cent Renewable Energy Target (RET) for 2030/31 on the state’s main energy grid, the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
CEF Director Tim Buckley said the target marked a major step forward for the state.
“This is a strong, historic move forward for Western Australia and a meaningful signal to investors and industry, and we congratulate the WA government on this key step,” said Buckley.
Buckley said that if the target is achieved, all coal generation on the SWIS would be replaced by renewables by 2030/31.
He also expects a material decline in gas generation over the same period, progress he said was consistent with climate science.
He stressed that the 75 per cent figure should be treated as a floor rather than a ceiling for the grid.
CEF said attention should now turn to the Pilbara, the world’s largest source of iron ore.
The think tank argued that Australia’s world-leading mining majors, many of which are based in WA, should work together on a shared renewables strategy for the region.
That strategy would focus on electrification and decarbonisation, and would include electricity common user infrastructure to service the Pilbara.
According to CEF, the mining companies should work alongside government to accelerate the rollout of firmed renewables and supporting infrastructure.
This would enable a rapid shift away from imported, high-emissions diesel used in mining operations, while cheaper clean energy would help facilitate onshore processing of WA’s resources.
The announcement adds to growing momentum behind the energy transition in Western Australia, where coal-fired generation at Collie has long underpinned the SWIS.
