Overview

• The Illawarra has been designated as New South Wales' first urban renewable energy zone, emphasizing distributed, consumer-focused energy solutions.
• The plan prioritizes leveraging existing infrastructure, increasing rooftop solar adoption, and deploying community batteries to support local energy needs.
• A memorandum of understanding with Endeavour Energy will enable trials of advanced grid technologies and incentivize solar energy uptake.
• Energy experts project the urban REZ could generate 300 megawatts locally, though heavy industry demands will require larger-scale solutions like offshore wind.
• Federal consultation for offshore wind along the Illawarra coast has resumed, complementing the state's urban REZ strategy to meet its 1-gigawatt energy target.