THE State Government is claiming they will introduce the biggest energy storage targets in Australia, with $10m to go towards projects in Gippsland.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio announced the targets, alongside a $157 million package supporting renewable energy generation and storage projects across the state.
According to the government, Victoria will reach 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy storage capacity by 2030, with an increased target of 6.3 GW of storage by 2035.
The targets are expected to create 12,700 jobs and $1.7 billion in investment from 2023 to 2035.
The Government also announced $38.2 million from the Energy Innovation Fund (EIF) will go to four projects using new technology to generate and store clean energy.
The latest EIF round will provide $19.3 million for two bioenergy projects at farms in Gippsland and Barwon.
In Gippsland, $10 million will go towards Innovating Energy to install a 2.2MW bioenergy facility, and a 10MW biomass boiler which will use waste to make heat, replacing natural gas at a dairy processing plant in Gippsland.
Victoria’s new storage targets include both short and long-duration energy storage systems – which can hold more than eight hours of energy – including batteries, hydroelectricity and hydrogen technologies.
Community batteries are also popping up across the state, including on Phillip Island, backed by $11 million for the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
Emergency Services
Bushfire reported in Wonthaggi wetlands close to town
TEN fire trucks have responded to a ‘small’ bushfire in the Wonthaggi Wetland Reserve at 3pm today, Thursday, February 13, a Total Fire Ban day in the Central region of the state, including Bass Coast. The fire is located behind the Wonthaggi...
