Despite the State Opposition backing a motion to abandon the net zero target, the WA Government has been making big steps towards total clean energy.
Last Year, the clean energy transition was cemented when the WA government entered into a bilateral Renewable Energy Transformation agreement with the Federal government to build more sources of renewable energy, and eliminate the use of coal fired power stations by 2030.
$342 million has been committed to improving the amount of clean energy travelling through WA’s electricity infrastructure, to deliver more clean energy to homes and eliminate the use of coal fired power.
The amount given in contracts to GenusPlus, UGL Engineering, and Acciona is a sizeable share of the $584 million committed in the 2025-2026 state budget to invest into clean energy transition
The funding will provide upgrades to the Clean Energy Link North, a series of transmission lines, terminals and transformers that will run from Malaga to Three Springs, running a total of over 300km.
This investment brings up the total amount committed by the Cook Government to the State’s electricity network expansion to $1.6 billion.
Another big step forward is the start of construction on stage two of Warradarge Wind Farm, in the state’s Midwest.
The $400 million project will see the Windfarm expand to a total 81 Turbines, taking the total energy output of the farm to 283 megawatts (MW), a 57 per cent power increase from stage one of the farm, which began operation in late 2020.
This increase makes Warradarge the biggest windfarm in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
Construction is set to be complete by 2027, and will power around 164,000 homes
It is estimated the project will also create over 120 jobs.
Edith Cowan University Senior Lecturer Dr Stefan Lachowicz supports the direction in which the WA Government is taking to transition towards renewable energy.
“I would say that it is pretty well advance.. it’s still far away for [an] entire transition but they are working quite hard on it,” he said.
Dr Lachowicz further outlines the problem that will be faced when it comes to meeting the deadline for the elimination of coal fired power by 2030 is the development time for the transition lines.
“That cannot happen instantaneously… so you want a solar farm, it will take maybe a year or so and it will be there. But for the transmission network it’s a little more complex.”
How do Perth residents feel?
Perth residents have a varying range of views on the transition to clean energy, and what issues are prioritised.
“It’s not a monolithic view,” said City of Perth Western Residents Association management committee member and energy economist Ashley Chan.
Mr Chan expresses the concerns of residents, the main issue being the cost to maintain consistent renewable energy.
He explains how costs will rise as infrastructure continues to be built, and with the supplying of backup power and stability, when the conditions don’t meet the requirement for wind turbines and solar panels to produce power, as well as the transparency on who these extra costs will fall on.
“Most [are] supportive of the energy transition over who is going to pay for the upgrades required… is it the council or is it the local user,” said Mr Chan.
More concerns of residents that Mr Chan outlined was the importance of materials used to make the infrastructure required to produce clean energy are ethically sourced.
These include rare metals being imported from China, and the cobalt used to create batteries and solar panels from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both countries have been subject to previous investigations for the use of forced and child labour.
The WA Government remains committed to their promises of delivering clean energy, the only question is will the make it in time.
