Western Australian Labor government officials have warned that the progress of building wind and solar farms for the state’s main electricity grid has significantly slowed under their leadership, as indicated in a recently leaked confidential document. According to the document, state bureaucrats informed the government that Perth’s decarbonisation work program in the electricity grid had “stalled to date.” The brunt of their concerns lies in the few new wind developments being advanced enough to be added to the grid before the scheduled closure of a coal power station in 2027.
Furthermore, independent data corroborates these claims, suggesting that the percentage of electricity produced from large-scale wind and solar developments has remained steady at around 18% of total generation in the grid since 2021. WA organisation Sustainable Energy Now found that no major wind or solar programs were introduced to the grid in the first three years of the last parliamentary term, from 2021 to 2023. In fact, only a limited number of projects were completed or confirmed, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the government’s renewable energy plans.
Despite signs of stagnation in large-scale renewable energy projects, electricity generation from rooftop solar panels has seen significant growth, surpassing the output of solar and wind farms. The government, led by Premier Roger Cook, remains optimistic about WA’s potential to become a renewable energy powerhouse, pointing to the doubling of zero-emissions generation in the grid since 2017. However, opposition parties express skepticism over the government’s commitment to renewable energy. The Liberal energy spokesman, Steve Thomas, criticized the government for falling behind the intended schedule for the energy transition, warning that the planned closure of coal-fired stations may not proceed as predicted. Meanwhile, Greens MP Brad Pettitt accused the government of hindering the development of major renewable projects, arguing that more should be done to accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources.
Financial and infrastructural issues have been cited as obstacles to the integration of new large-scale renewable energy projects into the grid. The government has proposed releasing $500 mln in funding to develop the Clean Energy Link north of Perth, with the recognition that the cost of this project has increased significantly. The state-owned energy generator Synergy is also facing a challenging financial situation, necessitating new subsidies. Moving forward, the success of renewable energy initiatives in WA will require addressing these challenges to ensure a sustainable and efficient transition from traditional fossil fuels.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/03/premier-claims-wa-a-renewable-energy-powerhouse-but-leaked-document-shows-wind-and-solar-projects-have-stalled
