Cook Government doubles down on wind as coal-fired power stations face closure

The State Government has signed contracts to buy future energy supplies from emerging wind farms, in a major step towards exiting coal and powering WA with renewables and gas. Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson told The West Australian the Government had directed Synergy and the Water Corporation to enter into purchase agreements with groups proposing to build major wind farms in the Mid West and Wheatbelt. Synergy has agreed to procure energy from Parron Maam Marang and Kondinin wind farms from 2028 — when the energy facilities are expected to be commissioned — and the Water Corporation will purchase power from Marri Windfarm, which is likely to connect to WA’s power grid in 2029. The Parron and Kondinin wind farms are expected to power more than 500,000 homes a year, while the Marri windfarm will help power WA’s desalination plants. Ms Sanderson said the wind farms between them would produce a gigawatt of power — equal to the combined generation of the State-owned coal-fired power stations at Collie and Muja and the privately owned Bluewaters. “We have directed Synergy and Water Corp to finalise long-term power purchase agreements with large-scale wind farms,” she said. “That means that the might of the Government Trading Enterprises will essentially bring large-scale wind into the grid. “When we announced the decision in 2022 to exit coal, that was contingent on large-scale wind (energy) coming into the grid to replace coal. “These long-term power purchase agreements that Synergy and the Water Corp have signed essentially will bring a gigawatt of wind energy, which is the equivalent of our entire coal fleet — that includes Bluewaters.” Muja 7 and Muja 8 and the Collie A coal-fired power stations are scheduled to shut by 2030. Griffin Coal has had its State Agreement extended from July this year by up to five years, allowing it to continue supplying coal to the privately owned Bluewaters. Already, the Government has pumped $308 million into supporting Griffin coal. The Labor Government says renewables and gas will meet the energy needs of WA once it shuts down its coal-fired power stations. Opposition energy spokesman Steve Thomas — the architect of an energy policy that called for a 300-megawatt gas-fired power station to help transition to renewables — has long said the Government needed to get a hurray-on to deliver renewable energy. “They are five to 10 years behind their renewable targets at this point,” Mr Thomas recently said of the State Government. Ms Sanderson said the Government contracts gave the wind farm proponents “certainty” to start building the energy facilities. “This is a huge move towards becoming a renewable energy powerhouse,” she said. “It essentially gives those large-scale wind farms the certainty they need to start construction and get cracking on those projects.” As revealed by The West Australian, the Cook Government has commissioned Synergy to build a business case for either a State-owned 300-megawatt gas fired power station — or purchasing additional gas energy from the private sector. Ms Sanderson has not shied away from the fact that gas will play a role in WA’s future energy needs as it transitions to renewables. “We are still going to require gas as that is a really important thermal firming fuel when we retire coal,” she said. “Coal can run 24 hours a day. Wind doesn’t blow 24 hours a day, but it is far more reliable than solar. “We are going to need more gas on the system and obviously we are working with Synergy and private providers around what those needs are and what capacity we are able to bring on prior to 2030. “While gas is needed to provide energy security and stability to WA, renewable energy is the cheapest form of generation. “Our plan to exit State-owned coal-fired power by 2030 and bring on large-scale renewables will put downward pressure on prices, because as we bring more wind into the system, we can fill batteries up at low cost and use it when we need it.”