Leveraging its vast landscapes and abundant natural resources, the Wheatbelt is poised to be at the forefront of renewable energy development.
Over the next 15 years, it is projected that wind and solar generation in the Wheatbelt will grow to 8954.15MW, (8581.9MW Wind, 372.25MW Solar), with 22 projects in varying phases of feasibility, construction and development.
As of June 2024, the region has a total of 993.55MW of renewable energy generation over eight operating projects.
The Commission is committed to maximising the benefits of these opportunities for local communities. We are actively collaborating with PoweringWA and Western Power to shape future planning and to advocate for regional interests in the renewable energy sector.
Government plans to decarbonise the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) has accelerated the interest from renewable energy companies, particularly wind farm proponents, actively seeking potential project sites in the Wheatbelt. The region’s natural resources, access to freehold land, and proximity to the main transmission lines are key enablers.
Additionally, critical mineral exploration has uncovered significant green metal and rare earth deposits in the region. Notable findings include Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group metals in the Avon sub-region, and rare earth elements in the Eastern Wheatbelt. The Covalent Lithium Mine, a joint venture between Wesfarmers and SQM (Chile), commenced operations in the Shire of Yilgarn in March 2024.
The Commission continues to actively support communities and liase with agencies to ensure maximum benefit is serviced from emerging opportunities.
