Victoria is set to accelerate a wave of jobs and investment in regional Victoria with a plan to develop six Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) across the state.
Member for Northern Victoria, Mark Gepp MP today announced that Northern Victoria will benefit from the Victorian Government’s $540 million REZ Development Plan.
The Plan includes the creation of a new body, VicGrid, which will coordinate investments and engage with local communities.
The $540 million investment was part of the record $1.6 billion clean energy package included in the recent Victorian State Budget.
The development of six Renewable Energy Zones – across the Murray River region, the Ovens Murray region, Western Victoria, South West Victoria, the Central North and Gippsland – will accelerate Victoria’s transition to clean energy and maintain the state’s leading position for renewable energy jobs and investment.
The development of the REZs has the potential to enable Victoria to reach 16 gigawatts of large-scale renewable energy capacity by 2040 – more than tripling the State’s existing amount. This will create a pipeline of projects in regional Victoria, delivering thousands of jobs and significant economic benefits.
To ensure that the community benefits directly, VicGrid will engage deeply with local councils, community groups and Traditional Owners.
The first phase of the REZ Development Plan is the release of a Directions Paper that will identify possible projects for development. This will be followed by the publication of a REZ Development Plan in July that will establish how VicGrid will engage and work with local governments, communities and businesses.
For further information and to access the Plan, go to: www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-zones/
Quotes attributable to Mark Gepp MP, Member for Northern Victoria
“The Renewable Energy Zone Development Plan will bring investment and jobs to our region, but we must ensure that our community, including Traditional Owners, are a real part of the process. That is why I’m pleased to see the creation of VicGrid to facilitate that engagement.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio
“Renewable energy creates jobs. Construction jobs, engineering jobs and management jobs. As Victoria works to rebuild and be stronger than ever before, renewable energy will be at the heart of our economy and jobs creation.”
“VicGrid will be a major game changer for the way renewable energy works in Victoria. It will see the benefits – from jobs to reliability – spread evenly across our state.”
