PERTH (miningweekly.com) – More than A$100-billion of potential energy investments have emerged for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

New South Wales Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean on Wednesday reported that the state government had received commercial interest from 24 solar energy projects, 13 onshore and 7 offshore wind energy projects, 35 large-scale batteries and 8 pumped hydro projects.

Together, these projects have the potential to deliver more than 100 000 GWh of renewable energy a year - equivalent to the yearly output of up to 10 coal-fired power stations.

“These results show that energy investors see the Hunter and Central Coast as some of the best investment destinations anywhere in the country, which will translate into jobs and prosperity for the region,” Kean said.

“REZs are vital to ensuring the future reliability and affordability of electricity in New South Wales as traditional coal-fired power stations close down over the coming decades.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch said that the results of the registration of interest showed that the region was set to reap the jobs and investment rewards from the transformation of the energy system.

“The REZ will not only attract investment in clean energy, it will also underpin the growth of new low carbon industries such as green hydrogen, ammonia and metals production which the world is going to need as it decarbonises,” Crouch said.

The Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) is in the early stages of planning the Hunter-Central Coast REZ and will be using this information to inform the timing, capacity and boundaries of the Hunter-Central Coast REZ.

EnergyCo will be engaging closely with industry, local government, local communities and other stakeholders as it progresses the design and delivery of the REZ.

It is expected that the Hunter-Central Coast REZ will be formally declared under the New South Wales government’s Electricity Roadmap legislation by mid-2022.