Australia Reduces CIS Waiting Times with Approval of 576MWh Solar-Plus-Storage Project in Tasmania

Australia: CIS Waiting Times to Be Reduced with Approval of 576MWh Solar-Plus-BESS

Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, has announced plans to expedite the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender process, reducing the timeline from nine months to approximately six months. This announcement was made at the commencement of Australian Energy Week in Melbourne. The CIS will now adopt a streamlined one-stage tender process, replacing its previous two-stage approach.

Bowen emphasized that while the CIS provides investment certainty for the industry, there are still challenges to address. “The beauty of the CIS is that it provides the industry investment certainty, but also that we can learn and improve it as we go, as we will continue to do,” he stated. He acknowledged ongoing challenges related to social license, workforce constraints, and approval times, and reassured that efforts are in place to mitigate these issues. Integral to the CIS contracts is the commitment to ensure community benefits, which Bowen pledged to enhance further.

Since its inception, the CIS has played a pivotal role in expanding Australia’s renewable energy generation and energy storage capacity. Notably, many tenders have been oversubscribed. The first CIS auction aimed to secure 6GW of renewable energy generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM) but attracted bids totaling 40GW, with 27GW of those deemed “very high quality” advancing to the next stage. As a result of this oversubscription, the federal government has increased its target to 10GW, consisting of 4GW of dispatchable power and 6GW of renewable energy generation.

The latest tender round has seen an overwhelming response, with 16.5GW of projects expressing interest for the 6GW being sought, nearly tripling the demand. The CIS aims to mobilize record levels of investment necessary for Australia to reach its ambitious goal of 82% renewable energy by 2030, targeting a total of 32GW of renewable energy and energy storage capacity. This includes 23GW from renewable energy generation and 9GW from dispatchable capacity such as battery energy storage systems (BESS).

In related developments, a 576MWh solar-plus-storage project has been approved in Tasmania in a remarkably swift 20-day period. The 250MW Weasel Solar Farm project, which was submitted under the federal government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act in April 2025, includes plans for a co-located BESS with a capacity of 144MW/576MWh, occupying a 3-hectare site.

Located approximately 9km north of Bothwell and near the River Clyde, the project will connect to the NEM and is within the proposed Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) for T3 Tasmania Midlands. The Downie family and the Bowden family are leading this initiative in partnership with Alternate Path, an energy consultancy based in Victoria. The solar PV facility will incorporate up to 4,000 single-axis tracking PV modules distributed across 270 hectares, allowing for continued agricultural practices, notably sheep grazing, in a model referred to as ‘agrivoltaics’.

Furthermore, the project aims to support ongoing forestry activities in the area, contributing significant social and economic benefits to the local community and surrounding landowners, as noted by the developers. The anticipated operational lifespan of the plant is between 30 to 40 years, after which it will be decommissioned.