States and territories are driving Australia’s acceleration towards a clean and reliable renewable energy grid. In fact, progress on new clean energy generation, like wind and solar, has been so rapid in recent years that it has been hard to keep up. Our report, ‘Race to the top: Australia’s clean energy momentum’, shines a light on the progress Australia’s states and territories have already made, and their plans for the road ahead. It highlights the huge and growing momentum around the country and calls out where governments still have work to do to cut climate pollution further and faster.

Victoria’s clean energy sector is positioned for unprecedented growth

Victoria has made significant strides in progressing critical planning reforms to enable efficient and timely approvals for clean energy projects, like solar and wind farms, and provide much-needed certainty for local communities. These reforms are positive steps that will help to unlock investment and accelerate the state’s renewables rollout while prioritising engagement with, and delivery of benefits for, local communities. Thanks to the state’s investment in renewables, the wholesale cost of electricity (the price that power companies pay to buy energy) in Victoria is declining and is already the lowest on the east coast. 

What next for Victoria?

Victoria needs to boost uptake of rooftop solar and battery storage, where it is lagging behind most other states. While Victoria has made progress in addressing planning roadblocks, it now needs to leverage its world-leading capabilities by accelerating the rollout of its Renewable Energy Zones and enabling the co-location of clean industry with renewable energy.