- Cook Government securing Western Australia's economic strength in the Pilbara through support to help activate the first Ngarluma Green Energy Park
- Important step in development of Pilbara Energy Transition corridor, creating economic opportunities for Traditional Owners through participation in the energy transition
- Government, Ngarluma and APA Group working towards agreement on the Burrup Corridor
The Cook Government is delivering the Pilbara's energy transition by supporting a Traditional Owner group to establish and activate its first Green Energy Park that will further the State's ambition of becoming a renewable energy powerhouse.
Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) has developed a business proposal to establish 100 per cent Traditional Owner owned and operated Green Energy Parks for fast and straight forward development of large scale renewables on land in its native title determination.
NAC is targeting 5 gigawatts (GW) of development in its Green Energy Parks.
Ngarluma country includes the coastal towns Karratha, Roebourne, Wickham, Cape Lambert and out to Whim Creek and is home of much of the Pilbara's Industry including Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Dampier Salt, Woodside, Yara and Perdaman.
The Cook Government will provide $2.7 million in initial support to NAC to undertake surveys, approvals works and technical activities over the next 12 months that will lead to the activation of the first Ngarluma Green Park near Karratha.
NAC will lead and own the Green Energy Parks that will create employment, training, and long-term income for the Ngarluma people.
The Ngarluma Green Energy Park plan includes obtaining tenure over the area and offering subleasing arrangements to solar generation and battery storage proponents, with potential for participation in solar/battery generation projects located in the parks through joint ventures or other arrangements with solar developers.
The proposal will enable an aligned approach to power generation and transmission, complementing the development of the Maitland-Karratha-Burrup transmission corridor - one of four priority corridors under the Pilbara Energy Transition (PET) - and the activation of the Maitland Strategic Industrial Area (SIA).
NAC have committed to negotiating Indigenous Land Use Agreements to enable the development of the transmission corridor and the SIA, with negotiations ongoing.
The PET facilitates the development of common-user electricity transmission infrastructure in the Pilbara to accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy industry in the region by connecting industry with renewable energy generation.
APA Group has been awarded Priority Project status for the delivery of electricity transmission for the Burrup (Murujuga) Corridor.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"My government is diversifying Western Australia's nation-leading economy by delivering the Pilbara Energy Transition, which will support our ambition of making the State a renewable energy powerhouse.
"Unlocking the Pilbara's renewable energy resources will offer opportunities for new industries, bringing jobs and investment and export potential and benefits for Traditional Owners.
"That's why we're supporting Traditional Owners to develop this green energy park project to advance the region's energy transition."
As stated by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Traditional Owners are invested in the success of the Pilbara Energy Transition, and the Cook Government is determined to ensure they gain genuine economic benefits from our clean energy transition.
"The common-use infrastructure approach reduces the need for multiple transmission lines on Country while still unlocking the renewable energy resources of the region."
