5 GW renewable generation sought in Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 7

Bids have opened for the Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 7 seeking 5 GW of generation in the National Electricity Market, with caveats to be operational by 31 December 2030 and have a forecast generation profile that displaces more fossil fuel generation.

October 16, 2025 Ev Foley

Image: OX2

Bids have opened for the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) Tender 7 seeking 5 GW of renewable energy generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM), with a caveat that projects must be operational by 31 December 2030.

Projects that can deliver earlier will be considered higher merit.

Allocations for the total 5 GW include 1.7 GW minimum generation target for New South Wales (NSW), 1 GW for Victoria, 300 MW for Tasmania and 2 GW is unallocated to potentially be awarded to projects in Queensland or South Australia.

Tender 7 excludes Victorian solar and solar-hybrid projects in accordance with the renewable energy transformation agreement (RETA) between the federal and Victorian governments, and also virtual power plants or use of native forest wood waste.

Hybrid projects in other jurisdictions can apply, with conditions.

The CIS Tender 7 bid submissions close 9 December 2025 with successful bids announced in May 2026.

A previous NEM generation CIS Tender 4 opened in November 2024, with successful bids announced 9 October 2025, resulting in 6.6 GW of renewable energy generation. Tender 4 included 12 hybrid projects, eleven of which were solar battery projects and one wind battery project, that together will provide 11.4 GWh of storage capacity.

CIS Tender 8 – NEM Dispatchable Capacity is estimated to open November 2025, with more tenders planned for 2026.

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