The record year of 2018 continues to set the bar high. It is not only that the Renewable Energy Target (RET) has already been secured, but also the development pipeline continues to grow at an unprecedented pace.
According to the latest monthly data from the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), the number of projects accredited under the RET in September amounted to 34 power stations with a combined capacity of 667 MW – the largest amount of solar and wind capacity accredited in a single month since April 2001.
Overall, 2018 has so far seen more large-scale renewable energy capacity accredited than any other previous year since 2001.
With 2,799 MW already accredited, 2018 has overtaken the previous record of 1,088 MW set in 2017, reports the CER.
Five utility-scale solar farms, four in Queensland and one in New South Wales, account for 658 MW of the new capacity.
Coleambally Solar Farm – NSW – 189 MW
Daydream Solar Farm – QLD – 181 MW
Bungala Two Solar Farm – QLD – 138 MW
Emerald Solar Park – QLD – 90 MW
Hayman Solar Farm – QLD – 60 MW
The new projects have taken the cumulative capacity of renewable energy fleet in the development pipeline above the 10 GW threshold.
The cumulative capacity of 10,084 MW now far exceeds the 6,400 MW the CER estimated would be required to reach the RET of 33,000 GWh by 2020.
According to the CER, the mandated target was secured already in May this year, with 6,553 MW of capacity from new renewable energy projects in the works or already built.
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