🌿 Renewable Energy in the Shire of Narrogin
The Narrogin Renewable Energy Zone (NREZ) 🌿
Narrogin – Love the Life, Power the Future
Supporting a Clean Energy Future for Western Australia
The Shire of Narrogin is proud to be at the forefront of regional Western Australia’s transition to renewable energy. Situated in the heart of the Wheatbelt’s energy corridor, our region is rapidly emerging as a key hub for clean energy investment—aligning with the State Government’s plan to phase out coal-fired power by 2030 and supporting both State and Federal Net Zero 2050 targets and the broader move to decarbonise and electrify everything.
We are working in partnership with industry, landowners, neighbouring local governments, and State and Commonwealth agencies to ensure renewable energy development delivers long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits for our community.
The Narrogin Renewable Energy Zone (NREZ) is at the epicentre of a major shift in Western Australia’s energy landscape. The wave of large-scale renewable energy proposals in and around our region (within a 45-minute drive of the town of Narrogin) signals not only a defining moment for our community but a critical chapter in the State’s clean energy transition. These projects carry enormous potential—not just technologically and economically, but symbolically. But success requires more than infrastructure; it requires people, place, and purpose.
The State Government now has a unique opportunity to lead a just energy transition—one that respects and invests in host communities, leaves a lasting legacy in regional WA, and brings Wheatbelt residents into the transformation not as bystanders, but as key participants.
Through the Shire’s Community Enhancements Fund, guided by our policies guiding statement of “Narrogin, Love the Life – Power the Future,” we are demonstrating what’s possible when local government, developers, and community work together. With State backing and a coordinated, holistic community impact assessment approach, this model can pave the way for resilient, community-led renewable energy integration across Western Australia.
🧭 Our Position on Renewables
The Shire has adopted a clear and proactive stance on renewable energy development:
🛠 Planning for a Sustainable Energy Future
To support well-planned, responsible development, the Shire has established a robust planning framework. Key resources include:
🌱 Local Benefits, Local Commitment
Maximising Opportunities for Local Business, Trades and Community
The Shire of Narrogin is committed to ensuring that the transition to renewable energy delivers meaningful, long-term benefits to our local community and economy.
All renewable energy proponents are expected to:
- Prioritise local procurement wherever possible, including the use of local contractors, tradespeople, suppliers, and service providers.
- Engage local businesses early, ensuring they are aware of upcoming work packages and can compete fairly for opportunities.
- Establish a dedicated website and contractor portal before construction commences, to clearly outline required services, registration processes, and contact points for local trades and suppliers.
- Provide transparent forward work schedules, enabling local businesses to plan and participate effectively.
To support this:
- The Shire actively advocates for the use of local goods and services and works with proponents to embed local procurement targets in their project planning and reporting.
- All proponents are expected to minimise impacts on local housing availability by avoiding the use of permanent residential housing stock for temporary construction workforce accommodation.
- Projects are encouraged to explore fit-for-purpose temporary workforce housing options, with the aim of transitioning these into permanent community assets where feasible.
- We encourage proponents to shop local and buy local by visiting the Narrogin Chamber of Commerce's Online Business Directory
By setting clear expectations, the Shire ensures that renewable energy developments contribute to job creation, skills development, and economic growth in our region, without compromising local housing access or community wellbeing.
🤝 Together, we are creating not just energy—but opportunity.
🔄 Stay Informed
📩 Contact our Business Development & Innovation Officer
Email: enquiries@narrogin.wa.gov.au
Phone: (08) 9890 0900
🤝 Working Together for a Renewable Future
The Shire of Narrogin welcomes collaboration with:
- Local residents and landowners
- Businesses and contractors
- Renewable energy proponents and consultants
- PoweringWA and government agencies
- Other local governments seeking to establish best practice frameworks
Together, we’re building a stronger, cleaner, and more resilient future.
⚡Live Electricity Generation in Australia
Western Australia operates on a separate electricity grid from the rest of the country, known as the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which is part of the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM). The live feed below shows real-time electricity generation for Australia's eastern states (the National Electricity Market – NEM), in comparison with WA and offers helpful insight into how different energy sources are used across the country.
Live Electricity Generation Widget (NEM):
View Live National Electricity Mix
Explore WA’s Generation and Storage Assets
For detailed, up-to-date information about Western Australia's operational generation and storage assets – including wind farms, solar installations, batteries, and more, this tool provides a map and data-driven overview of the energy infrastructure that powers our South-west region, visit:
https://explore.openelectricity.org.au/facilities/wem/?status=operating
Concerns or Complaints⚠️
The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC) accepts complaints from concerned community residents who live near proposed or operating renewable energy projects, including:
- Wind farms
- Large-scale solar farms (5 MW or more)
- Energy storage facilities such as large-scale batteries (1 MW or more)
- New major transmission projects
Residents may also nominate a representative acceptable to the Commissioner to lodge a complaint on their behalf.
The AEIC also provides landholders and residents with up-to-date reports, resources, and guidance on matters such as:
- Renewable energy project development
- Landholder considerations
- Bushfire and safety management
- Health impacts
- Community engagement
For more information, visit the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner website.
Important Disclaimer
The information provided on this webpage is for general informational purposes only and represents the best available knowledge of the Shire of Narrogin as of the date of publication (10 September 2025). It should not be relied upon in isolation for making investment decisions. All potential investors, landowners, proponents, and other interested parties are strongly advised to conduct their own independent due diligence, seek professional advice, and thoroughly assess individual project details and risks before making any financial or investment decisions.
Each renewable energy project described herein is subject to its own separate financial analysis, approvals processes, regulatory compliance, and timelines, many of which the Shire of Narrogin may not be fully informed about or directly involved in. The Shire makes no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of this information and expressly disclaims liability for any decisions or actions taken based solely upon the content presented on this webpage.