Australia: Around 320,000 motorists purchased a new hybrid, electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid from 1 January to 30 November 2025 – Image: Ernest Ojeh/Unsplash
The renewable energy transition in Australia gathered pace in 2025, with a record number of projects given the green light and millions of Australians benefiting from a cleaner, more reliable electricity grid that will lower energy bills for good, says Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy in a joint media release.
In the year to 30 November, the Albanese Government approved 54 renewable energy projects taking the total to 123 since 2022 across all states and territories.
These projects will generate enough clean energy to power more than 5 million households and potentially reduce emissions by more than 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking 9 million cars off the road.
Across utility-scale and smaller scale renewable generation, the Clean Energy Regulator estimates close to 7 GW of capacity was added to the grid in 2025. That’s enough to power around 2.4 million homes.
The wholesale electricity price in the National Electricity Market was 14 per cent lower between January and November 2025 than the corresponding period for 2024. “We want to see that flow through to retail bills soon, ” according to Bowen.
“And we’re on track to meet our renewable energy target.”
The Australian Energy Market Operator’s latest Connections Scorecard shows the development pipeline for the main national grid has expanded to 275 projects, representing a total of 56.6 GW in generation and storage capacity.
23.2 GW of earlier-stage projects are finalising contracts or under construction – up 43 per cent from this time last year.
Australian Government accepts the Science of Climate Change
“The Albanese Government accepts the science of climate change and knows that acting on it is in the national interest,” continues the Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
“We are on track to bring down energy bills and meet our climate targets if we stay the course and continue to lift our efforts. With over 185,000 Cheaper Home Batteries installed with our support since 1 July, our policies are having a real impact on emissions and helping households with their energy bills.”
“We are working hard to modernise the energy grid after the nearly 10 years of neglect under the Coalition, which saw 24 of 28 coal-fired power stations announce they were closing and no plan to replace them,” says Chris Bowen.
“We know that ageing coal power stations are the biggest threat to reliable, affordable energy – that’s why we’re acting to deliver the modern, fair and reliable grid Australians deserve.”
Australia: The number of fast and ultra-fast public EV charging locations tripled since mid-2022 to 1,475 locations – Image: Michael Marais/Unsplash
Programs to bring clean energy into homes
At the household and community level, the Albanese Government delivered a range of programs, bringing clean energy technology into homes and public assets.
- More than 185,000 batteries were installed through the Cheaper Home Batteries program in just six months.
- Around 320,000 motorists purchased a new hybrid, electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid from 1 January to 30 November 2025.
- The number of fast and ultra-fast public EV charging locations tripled since mid-2022 to 1,475 locations.
- More than 140,000 households installed solar panels for the first time over the same period – joining the one in three Australian households who already have them in place.
- The Home Energy Upgrades Fund delivered 6,000 clean energy upgrades to homes with tech like rooftop solar, batteries, hot water heat pumps, double-glazed windows and insulation.
- Through the Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative, 20,000 social housing homes were upgraded, helping tenants bring down their energy use, lower bills and cut emissions.
- The Community Energy Upgrades Fund helped 128 local councils pay for energy upgrades that lower emissions and reduce costs through works like switching pool heating systems from gas to electric.
Renewable Energy Superpower
For industry, the Australian Government’s programs drove new investment in the nation’s energy market and backed innovation in next-generation clean-technology to create jobs and turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower.
- Four tenders worth 6.6 GW of generation and 18.4 GWh of dispatchable capacity opened through the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS).
- Forty successful projects for three more CIS tenders were announced. Those will add enough generation to power more than 3 million households.
- Through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the Australian Government supported $1.2 billion under Hydrogen Headstart plus a further 34 projects were funded to kickstart more than $420m across the innovation pipeline.
- Injecting more than $6.6 billion across more than 30 transactions, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation spurred new land use, clean energy tech and large transmission projects.
The Albanese Government wants to turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower – Image: Nadia Ganzhyi/Unsplash
Supercharging Australia
“The Albanese Government is making great strides toward our goal of becoming a renewable energy superpower,” underscores Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water. “We are setting Australia up for a future powered by renewables, which is the cheapest and cleanest energy available.
“In the year ahead, we will continue to support the rapid rollout of renewables to meet our ambitious and achievable 2035 target, and to achieve net zero by 2050.”
Says Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson: “We are supercharging clean energy in Australia, driving new investment in our rapidly changing energy market and delivering real benefits to Australian households.
“Our clean and renewable energy projects for households, businesses and communities remain incredibly popular and this shows that Australians are embracing our energy transition wholeheartedly.
“All of this work has resulted in renewables overtaking coal-fired generation for the first time and delivered the largest annual fall in greenhouse gas emissions in Australia’s history outside of the COVID lockdown years. We will continue to invest in renewable energy in the coming years to work towards achieving a net zero future.”
And: “The Albanese Government is making sure every Australian has the tools to adapt and become more resilient as we transition to cleaner, cheaper energy.
“Australia is moving towards a net zero future filled with clean and renewable energy that will see us become a renewable superpower,” highlights Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, Kate Thwaites.
NAN 7-1-26
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