WA’s green energy approvals initiative marks first project

Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) has received environmental approval for the first of several proposals totaling 3GW of clean energy under the Western Australian Government’s green energy approvals initiative.

In partnership with ACEN Australia, YEC has received environmental approval for its first solar project of up to 150 MW located in a 13,000 km2 Yindjibarndi Native Title Determination Area in the Pilbara.

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The State Government, led by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s Green Energy Directorate, has worked with multiple agencies to ensure the most efficient path for approval of this proposal, as well as the significant number of renewable energy projects underway in WA.

The YEC projects will include a total of three gigawatts of solar, wind and storage and, if successful, could become one of Australia’s largest renewable energy projects.

It could also play a significant role in decarbonising WA, creating sustainable, long-term training and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians and supporting the uptake of renewable energy by industry in the Pilbara.

The Green Energy Approval Initiative provides coordinated, cross-government support to advocates and investors.

The initiative, now fully operational, is driving investment in wind and solar power generation, the renewable hydrogen industry, lithium mining and critical mineral processing, as well as the production of batteries, electrolysers, solar panels and wind turbines.

Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby said: “I want Western Australia to become a renewable energy powerhouse, so it’s vital we cut red tape and bring clean energy projects online without unnecessary delays.

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“Yindjibarndi’s proposals are exactly what our government wants to see more of in WA.

“With the potential to decarbonize our state’s energy systems, create rural jobs for Aboriginal Australians and support the uptake of renewable energy by industry in the Pilbara, I look forward to seeing Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation’s proposals come to fruition.”