The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The Hon Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The Albanese Government is backing Western Australia's clean energy future by bringing forward another 1.8 gigawatts of renewable generation in Western Australia, enough to power around 1 million West Australian households, through the next round of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), helping deliver the reliable and affordable power needed for the state's growing economy.
Registrations open on 25 August, with bids opening on 27 August alongside the release of the tender guidelines.
The Tender will also be the first to require participation in the Government's new Developer Rating Scheme (DRS).
Proponents must have commenced the DRS assessment process to apply for CIS Tender 11.
Tender 11 builds on the strong momentum already being delivered through the CIS, bringing forward the new generation and storage needed to keep the grid reliable and put downward pressure on power prices.
Consistent with previous WEM tenders, projects will be required to participate in Western Australia's Reserve Capacity Mechanism, helping maintain a reliable electricity supply as more renewable energy enters the grid.
Tender 11 will also place a stronger emphasis on projects being ready and able to deliver, including their ability to attract financing.
Together, CIS tenders in Western Australia announced this year have already backed 10 projects delivering 1.9 GW of renewable generation and 482 MW of storage, delivering enough renewable electricity for more than 1 million WA households and enough storage to support more than 400,000 households during peak demand.
Two projects supported through an earlier CIS dispatchable tender in WA, totalling enough energy to power over 100,000 homes (250 MW), have already signed agreements and commenced construction.
The DRS is operated independently by Equifax, giving landholders and local communities greater transparency about the track record, capability and conduct of renewable energy developers and transmission companies
Accredited companies that meet minimum standards across all seven criteria can be listed on a public register and receive a community engagement star rating, giving communities better information about developers with strong performance and engagement practices. Going forward it will also be a pre-requisite in CIS tenders, for developers to have started the DRS assessment process.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen
"Western Australia needs more power as its economy and population grow, and this tender will bring forward another 1.8 GW of new generation to help deliver it
"We're also lifting the bar for developers - if you want Commonwealth backing through this tender, you need to show you're serious about working properly with communities and landholders.
"More renewable generation means more reliable supply and more competition, helping put downward pressure on power prices for WA households and businesses."
"Across Australia, the Capacity Investment Scheme is already supporting more than 100 projects, demonstrating the scale and pace of investment being driven by the Government's plan for cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson
"Western Australia has a critical role to play in Australia's clean energy future, and this tender will help bring forward the generation capacity needed to support the state's growing economy and population.
"By placing a stronger emphasis on deliverability and financing capability, we're ensuring projects supported through the Capacity Investment Scheme are well positioned to be built and provide energy when it's needed.
"We're ensuring First Nations communities have meaningful opportunities to share in the benefits of the energy transformation through dedicated equity and revenue-sharing arrangements."
