Since 1895, Tasmania has been using renewable electricity. In Launceston, the Duck Reach power plant opened that year, becoming the first publicly owned hydroelectric power station in the southern hemisphere. Over the years, Tasmania’s hydroelectricity resources grew to provide the bulk of its power and make the state one of Australia’s greenest. Thanks to the addition of wind farms, Tasmania is now 100% powered by renewable electricity. There are only a handful of jurisdictions worldwide that can say that!
Guy Barnett, the Tasmanian energy minister, said:
We have reached 100% thanks to our commitment to realizing Tasmania’s renewable energy potential through our nation-leading energy policies and making Tasmania attractive for industry investment, which in turn is creating jobs across the State, particularly in our regions.
When the final two turbines are commissioned at Granville Harbour, Tasmania will have access to 10,741 GWh of renewable generating capacity – well above our average annual electricity demand of 10,500 GWh.
Lyndon Frearson, the Granville wind farm project director, said they aim to reach 200% renewables. That’s right. He said:
The wind farm is already proving its worth as a generator in the network and is a key part of the state’s development of new renewable energy resources to achieve its aspirational target of 200% renewables by 2040. For Granville Harbour Wind Farm to be the actual catalyst for Tasmania achieving its 100% renewable energy target two years ahead of schedule is a remarkable outcome, and one that everyone involved with its development should be very proud of.
Of course, reaching 200% renewables is no easy feat. It’s hard enough to achieve 100%! Barnett said that the government would continue to support the growth of renewable energy to make it happen. It’s on a mission to grow its role as a supplier of zero-emissions energy to the rest of Australia and bring green hydrogen into international export markets.
Barnett said:
But there is more to do, which is why we have set a target to double our renewable generation to a global-leading target of 200% of our current needs by 2040 – which we recently passed into law following the passing of legislation through both Houses of Parliament. We are also continuing to progress the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects that represent an intergenerational opportunity to make Tasmania a global leader and the renewable energy powerhouse of Australia.
And, we are continuing to develop a renewable hydrogen industry in Tasmania with the feasibility of key projects being progressed under the Government’s $50 million Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Funding Program, which forms the backbone of our Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan.
Kane Thornton, Chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, said a clear and meaningful policy direction from the government is why the milestone was achieved. It enabled developers to cultivate new projects. He said:
Tasmania has led the way when it comes to effecting change in Australia’s energy mix, and today’s milestone is well ahead of the original schedule of 2022. This considerable achievement highlights the Tasmanian Government’s policy leadership on renewable energy, which continues with the legislating of a visionary 200% renewable target by 2040.
The clean energy industry has responded in kind through investment, which in turn, will play a critical role in local Tasmanian economies creating employment opportunities now and into the future.
As you can imagine, environmental groups are more than pleased about the achievement, saying it’s a perfect example of what can happen if state and territory governments step up to show leadership on energy policy.
Nicky Ison of WWF Australia said:
This is a significant achievement and opens up huge economic opportunities for Tasmania. It also shows that Australian states are leading the way in the global energy transition and stepping up to act on climate.
Nelli Stevenson, a Greenpeace Australia spokesperson, said:
States and territories are surging ahead in the renewable energy race, leaving the Federal Government more and more isolated in its inaction on climate change. Federal Governments are supposed to lead, and right now, Australians are more than ever being let down by their elected Federal representatives. At the same time, state leadership gets on with the job of moving Australia to 100% safe and reliable renewable energy.
Tasmania became the second Australian jurisdiction sourcing all of its electricity from clean energy sources; the first was the ACT. Other places that have transitioned to 100% renewable power include Iceland, Scotland, and Costa Rica.
