Kellie Sloane
Leader of the Opposition
NSW Liberal Leader
Gurmesh Singh
NSW Nationals Leader
James Griffin
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change
The NSW Liberals and Nationals have a plan to support families, back jobs and get NSW back to the top of the pack. A key part of that plan is delivering a more affordable, reliable and resilient energy system that puts downward pressure on power bills and supports economic growth.
Under Labor families and businesses are struggling, energy costs continue to rise and confidence in the state's energy transition continues to weaken.
The Liberals and Nationals will diversify the state's energy mix by unlocking energy generation, storage and distribution closer to where people live and businesses operate.
The centrepiece of the plan is the creation of the Sydney City Renewable Energy Zone and accelerating work to create additional zones in Newcastle and Wollongong.
These City REZs will unlock the state's largest untapped energy resource by supporting industrial precincts, commercial buildings, apartment complexes and local communities, to better utilise solar and battery technology, generating and storing power closer to where it is consumed.
The plan will also prioritise scoping studies and support for the Outback Renewable Energy Zone as part of a more diverse and resilient energy system for NSW. The Far West region possesses some of the state's strongest solar resources and significant potential for renewable generation and storage. Importantly, the Outback REZ has the capacity to unlock substantial new energy generation while supporting regional jobs, investment and economic development.
The scope and scale of the New England Renewable Energy Zone, which is significantly over budget and behind schedule will also be reviewed and revised.
The review will prioritise upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure and remove the need for the proposed 500kV transmission line corridor.
Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said affordable and reliable energy was essential to a strong economy.
"A stronger economy requires affordable and reliable energy. If we want lower power bills, more jobs and greater economic resilience, we need to produce more energy, closer to where it is used," Ms Sloane said.
"Families cannot get ahead and businesses cannot grow if they are paying too much for power."
"New South Wales needs new generation and storage as coal retires, but the transition must be affordable, deliverable and undertaken in partnership with communities."
"Our plan is focused on energy security, economic resilience and lower costs for households and businesses."
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change James Griffin said City Renewable Energy Zones are about generating and storing more power closer to where people live and businesses operate.
"Instead of relying solely on energy generated hundreds of kilometres away, we will unlock the enormous potential of industrial precincts, commercial buildings and apartment complexes across Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to produce, store and supply energy directly into the existing grid."
"This is about making better use of the assets we already have. Thousands of warehouses, industrial sites, commercial buildings and apartment developments have the potential to become part of our energy network, generating power where it is needed most and reducing reliance on expensive new transmission infrastructure.
We will create a Delivery Coordination Office, to work alongside communities, councils, networks and the market to get the Urban REZ up and running urgently."
Leader of the NSW Nationals Gurmesh Singh said that under Labor, the state's energy roadmap is becoming increasingly concentrated.
"Supporting new energy generation should not come at the expense of some of our most productive farmland. We have listened to local communities and are putting forward a practical plan that delivers energy security while reducing unnecessary impacts on landholders and the environment."
"That's why we'll establish the Outback REZ. Unlike other parts of the state, the Far West offers an opportunity to expand generation in an area with lower population density and fewer land-use conflicts, helping diversify NSW's energy supply and reduce reliance on a small number of Renewable Energy Zones."
"The Liberals and Nationals support the energy transition, but it must be cheaper, better, fairer, and carried out in partnership with local communities. That means listening when legitimate concerns are raised and being prepared to adjust the plan."
The Liberals and Nationals estimate the plan has the potential to unlock enough generation and storage capacity to power around 10 million homes, roughly equivalent to every household in Australia.
This is a practical plan to help families get ahead and stay ahead, support businesses to grow and create jobs, and build a stronger future for NSW.
