Rapid approvals proposed for green energy projects should also be available to gas producers, the industry has said, as a major shortage of the fuel is forecast for WA.
Rapid approvals proposed for green energy projects should also be available to gas producers, the industry has said, as a major shortage of the fuel is forecast for WA.
Overnight, the Australian Energy Market Operator revealed projections warning the state would have almost a quarter of gas demand unmet by 2032.
That comes as gas demand for use in power generation is set to rocket amid the state government’s planned closure of Synergy coal power assets.
The state would need continued investment in development and exploration of new gas supplies, Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association director WA Claire Wilkinson said.
“But good fortune alone won’t get us there,”she said.
“We need efficient project assessment and approvals; which we simply don’t have with prospective developments literally taking years to get all their approvals in place.”
Ms Wilkinson said the industry would need an expedited approvals system, similar to the state government’s proposed plan for green energy.
Last week, the government promised $22.5 million to streamline approvals for critical minerals, hydrogen and renewables projects.
That would include a Green Energy Assessment Unit.
A spokesperson for the state government said WA had the most robust energy security policies of any state, and the grid was well-prepared for summer.
There would be several options to increase supply including drawing on storage and developing new fields, including in the Perth Basin.
“Other new sources of energy supply are expected to enter the market before the retirement of State-owned coal-fired power plants by 2030,” the spokesperson said.
“More rapid decarbonisation by large gas users would also free up capacity.”
The government spokesperson also cited the domestic gas reservation scheme, introduced by the Carpenter Labor government, and a “decision not to privatise electricity assets” as helping keep electricity prices down in WA.
The state government privatised the Warradarge wind farm, Grasmere wind farm at Albany and its Greenough River solar farm near Geraldton in late 2017.
