:Energy in the Australian Capital Territory

The ACT government announced in 2013 that under the ACT's Electricity Feed in (Large Scale Renewable Energy Generation) Act, the ACT would mandate that 90 percent of its electricity would be supplied from renewable sources by 2020.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2013/act-sets-90-renewable-energy-target-in-law7|title=ACT sets 90% renewable energy target in law|publisher=ACT Government|date=4 November 2013|access-date=25 February 2014|archive-date=2 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302195422/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2013/act-sets-90-renewable-energy-target-in-law7|url-status=dead}} This will raise the target from 210 to 550 megawatts.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/large-scale-feed-in-tariff-law-expanded-to-meet-90-renewables-target|title=Large scale feed-in tariff law expanded to meet 90% renewables target|publisher=ACT Government|date=27 February 2014|access-date=7 March 2014|archive-date=7 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307070716/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/large-scale-feed-in-tariff-law-expanded-to-meet-90-renewables-target|url-status=dead}} It announced in February 2015 that three wind farms in Victoria and South Australia would supply 200 megawatts of capacity; these are expected to be operational by 2017. They are Ararat Wind Farm (80.5 MW, $87.00/MWh), Coonooer Bridge Wind Farm (19.4 MW, $81.50/MWh) and Hornsdale Wind Farm (100 MW, $92.00/MWh).{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2015/wind-auction-result-delivers-renewable-energy-and-economic-benefits-to-the-act|title=Wind auction result delivers renewable energy and economic benefits to the ACT|publisher=ACT Government|date=6 February 2015|access-date=10 March 2015|archive-date=18 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318085524/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2015/wind-auction-result-delivers-renewable-energy-and-economic-benefits-to-the-act|url-status=dead}} Contracts for the purchase of an additional 200 megawatts of power from two wind farms in South Australia and New South Wales were announced in December 2015 and March 2016. These were Hornsdale Wind Farm (100 MW, $77.00/MWh) and Sapphire Wind Farm (100 MW, $89.10/MWh).{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2015/hornsdale-achieves-new-record-price-in-acts-second-wind-auction|title=Hornsdale achieves new record price in ACT's second wind auction|publisher=ACT Government|date=21 December 2015|access-date=4 March 2016|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306034832/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2015/hornsdale-achieves-new-record-price-in-acts-second-wind-auction|url-status=dead}}{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2016/new-wind-farm-set-to-power-more-than-just-canberra-homes|title=New wind farm set to power more than just Canberra homes|publisher=ACT Government|date=4 March 2016|access-date=4 March 2016|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306033758/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2016/new-wind-farm-set-to-power-more-than-just-canberra-homes|url-status=dead}} The ACT government announced in 2014 that up to 23 megawatts of feed-in-tariff entitlements would be made available for the establishment of a facility in the ACT or surrounding region for burning household and business waste to produce electricity by 2020.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/turning-waste-into-energy|title=Turning waste into energy|publisher=ACT Government|date=7 March 2014|access-date=11 March 2014|archive-date=11 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311092251/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/turning-waste-into-energy|url-status=dead}}

The ACT has five major solar farms with a total rated capacity of 56.3 megawatts, which were opened between 2014 and 2021.

The Royalla Solar Farm is rated at 20 megawatts and was described at its opening as the largest photovoltaic solar farm in Australia. It was officially opened at Royalla on 3 September 2014.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/australias-largest-solar-farm-opens-in-the-act|title=Australia's largest solar farm opens in the ACT|publisher=ACT Government|date=3 September 2014|access-date=11 October 2014|archive-date=19 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019062424/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_government_media_releases/corbell/2014/australias-largest-solar-farm-opens-in-the-act|url-status=dead}} The plant features 82,000 solar panels, installed on 41 kilometers of fixed structures. It was developed by the Spanish company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV).{{cite web |url=http://actsolarfarm.com/news/ |title=Royalla Solar Farm |publisher=Fotowatio Renewable Ventures |access-date=11 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019063849/http://actsolarfarm.com/news/ |archive-date=19 October 2014 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.acciona.com.au/projects/energy/solar-photovoltaic/rfv-20-mw-royalla-solar-farm/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330125802/http://www.acciona.com.au/projects/energy/solar-photovoltaic/rfv-20-mw-royalla-solar-farm/|archive-date=30 March 2017 |url-status=live|title= RFV 20 MW Royalla Solar Farm|publisher=Acciona Australia|access-date=3 December 2017}}

The Mount Majura Solar Farm was opened in Majura on 6 October 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/news/mount-majura-solar-farm-switches-on-101016 |title=Mount Majura Solar Farm powers up in ACT |publisher=Solar Choice |date=11 October 2016|access-date=6 January 2016}} It is rated at 2.3 megawatt and is owned and operated by the Impact Investment Group.{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mt-majura-solar-farm-will-save-lives-operators-say-20170718-gxe1gs.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912160356/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mt-majura-solar-farm-will-save-lives-operators-say-20170718-gxe1gs.html |archive-date=12 September 2017 |url-status=live|title=Mt Majura Solar Farm will 'save lives', operators say |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=19 July 2017|access-date=3 December 2017}}

The [https://solarshare.com.au/solar-farm-project/greenfield-project Majura Community Energy Project] was opened in April 2021. It is a 1.2 megawatt facility, owned by [https://solarshare.com.au/ SolarShare Community Energy Ltd]. Set on a 3-hectare property, the solar farm features 4,200 bi-facial solar modules, producing enough power for up to 260 ACT homes each year. SolarShare raised $2.54 million from approximately 350 local ACT investors to fund the project.{{cite news |last1=Frost |first1=Harry |title=Australia's largest community-owned solar farm begins powering homes in Canberra |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-11/act-community-solar-farm-opens-in-majura/13238882 |access-date=9 April 2024 |publisher=ABC News |date=11 March 2021}}

The Mugga Lane Solar Park at Mugga Lane, Hume is owned by the Maoneng Group, which has been contracted by the ACT Government to produce up to 24,600 megawatt hours each year for up to $4.38 million. It has a rated output of 13 megawatts and contains 53,000 solar PV panels. It was completed in March 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mugga-lane-solar-farm-opens-bringing-act-to-35-per-cent-renewable-energy-20170302-gup673.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302110650/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mugga-lane-solar-farm-opens-bringing-act-to-35-per-cent-renewable-energy-20170302-gup673.html |archive-date=2 March 2017 |url-status=live|title=Mugga Lane solar farm opens, bringing ACT to 35 per cent renewable energy |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=2 March 2017|access-date=1 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://mlsolarpark.com.au/project/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220031518/http://mlsolarpark.com.au/project/ |archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=live|title=Overview of the Mugga Lane Solar Park|publisher=Mugga Lane Solar Park|access-date=3 December 2017}}

The Williamsdale Solar Farm is an 11 megawatt solar farm at Williamsdale. It uses a single axis sun-tracking system and is owned by Impact Investment Group. Construction was completed on in October 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/government-unveils-36000-new-solar-panels-at-williamsdale-20171004-gyu8z8.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129172410/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/government-unveils-36000-new-solar-panels-at-williamsdale-20171004-gyu8z8.html |archive-date=29 November 2017 |url-status=live|title=Government unveils 36,000 new solar panels at Williamsdale |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=5 October 2017|access-date=1 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://diamondenergy.com.au/williamsdale-solar-farm/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005101232/https://diamondenergy.com.au/williamsdale-solar-farm/|archive-date=5 October 2017|url-status=live |title=The Impact Investment Group's Williamsdale Solar Farm |publisher=Diamond Energy|access-date=3 December 2017}} This was originally planned to be built at Uriarra but faced local opposition.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-22/uriarra-residents-fail-to-heritage-list-village/5212276| title=Uriarra residents fail to heritage list village, stop solar farm| work=ABC News|date=22 Jan 2014|access-date=25 February 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/uriarra-solar-farm-relocated-to-williamsdale-20150323-1m63ao.html|title=Uriarra solar farm relocated to Williamsdale|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=24 March 2015|access-date=4 January 2017}}

In addition numerous houses in Canberra have photovoltaic panels and/or solar hot water systems. Power produced by rooftop panels in 2015–16 is set out below. Note that the power produced by retail supported systems was only included if it was fed back into the grid. Power consumed locally was not recorded.

File:Kingston Powerhouse.jpg

Power was first supplied from a thermal plant built in 1913, near the Molonglo River, but this was finally closed in 1957.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 March 1913|page=5|title=The Founding of Canberra|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15404837|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218035413/http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15404837|archive-date=18 February 2014|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://client14.matrix01.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/148426/473.pdf |title=20048. Kingston Powerhouse Historic Precinct (Entry to the ACT Heritage Register) |publisher=ACT Heritage Council |access-date=11 October 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029194648/http://client14.matrix01.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/148426/473.pdf |url-status=dead }} This was built as a coal-fired thermal power station, but an additional oil fired-generator was also installed at the same site in the post-war period.

Some limited local renewable power is produced via a hydro generator on the main water supply pipeline for Canberra at Mount Stromlo and methane plants at waste landfill sites at Belconnen and Mugga Lane.{{cite web |url=http://kids.actewagl.com.au/education/Energy/RenewableEnergy/HydroElectricity/default.aspx |title=Open the floodgates... Hydroelectricity |publisher=ActewAGL |access-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302105512/http://kids.actewagl.com.au/education/Energy/RenewableEnergy/HydroElectricity/default.aspx |archive-date=2 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://kids.actewagl.com.au/education/energy/NonRenewableEnergy/NaturalGas/RenewableGasSources.aspx |title=Renewable gas sources |publisher=ActewAGL |access-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227181753/http://kids.actewagl.com.au/education/energy/NonRenewableEnergy/NaturalGas/RenewableGasSources.aspx |archive-date=27 February 2014 |url-status=dead }} There are currently no wind-power generators in Canberra, but several have been built in nearby New South Wales, such as the 140.7 megawatt Capital Wind Farm.

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{{Energy in the Austrlian Capital Territory}}