NSW Labor says it will not “rip up” renewable roadmap, but accelerate it instead

New South Wales Labor has rejected claims by the state Coalition government that it will “rip up” the state’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which is designed to transition Australia’s biggest grid from coal to renewables, as the policy contest heats up ahead of the March 25 election.

NSW Labor is yet to release the full details for its election pitch on energy, other than commitments to a number of targets including 50% renewables by 2030, and “as close as possible to 100%” by 2050.

“We have a plan to ensure NSW has enough secure, clean and affordable energy to power more than 3 million homes (as many homes as NSW has today) – by 2030,” the party says on its election page here.

“Our plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 million tonnes – the equivalent of offsetting every car in NSW.”

NSW Labor is running ahead in the polls, but there are questions about the future of the government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap – curated by energy minister and treasurer Matt Kean – which broadly acclaimed as nation-leading in its clear messages to both renewable energy investors, and to the state’s coal power sector.

It involves a series of twice-yearly auctions for generation and access rights, and the creation of at least five new renewable energy zones as part of a plan to attract more than 12GW of new capacity and at least 2GW of long duration storage.

In a statement on Monday, Kean seized on Labor leader Chris Minns’ criticisms of the Perrottet government’s promise of a one-off $250 energy bill rebate for households.

“Chris Minns today opposed this cost of living relief for the people of NSW,” Kean said in a media statement, pointing to Minns’ comments that the promised cash payment was an “admission” that the Coalition had failed consumers on energy.

“He has previously committed to nationalising energy supply, putting $32 billion of private investment at risk as he rips up the state’s energy transition roadmap,” Kean said.

“This is a lights out policy that will drive up energy bills,” he added, resorting to a tried and true Liberal and National Party scare tactic.

But in a statement on Monday, energy spokesperson Jihad Dib told RenewEconomy that Labor would be retaining bipartisan support for much of the Coalition’s renewables energy policy, including the roadmap, and had no interest in reigniting Australia’s so-called political “climate wars.”

“NSW Labor provided bipartisan support to the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and successfully amended the legislation to ensure that the Hunter and Illawarra were included as Renewable Energy Zones (REZ),” Dib said in an emailed statement.

“NSW Labor remains supportive of the broad architecture of the Roadmap. Our policy development will reflect our desire to build on the Roadmap and accelerate delivery.”

Dib says that Labor’s chief concern is that, after more than two years, the Coalition’s Roadmap appears to have stagnated.

“The most advanced REZ in the Central-West Orana does not have a single shovel-ready project despite the accelerated retirement of coal-fired power stations.

“We have emerging challenges and Matt Kean is more interested in playing politics than creating solutions,” Dib said.

“Matt Kean’s scare campaign is a disappointing display of partisanship from a minister who is consistently more interested in playing politics than working across the aisle to deliver the affordable energy reliability this state so desperately needs,” added Dib.

“I have spent a lot of time talking to a wide range of stakeholders – from coal miners to renewable energy experts and industry specialists. The challenges ahead require partnership, which is the cornerstone of our approach to energy policy.

“It’s telling that the Liberal/National Party expects good faith politics from Labor on energy policy but when we proposed legislating the bipartisan emissions reduction targets every single Liberal/National MP voted against the measure.”