Outback Landholders Consider Renewable Projects

Why this is here: Tilt Renewables hopes its Outback Energy project could provide up to 10 gigawatts of energy—equivalent to five coal-fired power stations—to New South Wales and neighboring states.

Tilt Renewables is exploring large-scale wind and solar energy projects in far west New South Wales, Australia. The company has begun consultations with local landholders, receiving mostly positive responses so far.

Graziers like Sam Beven initially approached the discussions with skepticism but found the proposed contracts reasonable, especially regarding land use and legal fees. Tilt Renewables already operates the Broken Hill Solar Plant and Silverton Wind Farm in the region and aims to build a new facility roughly fifteen to twenty times larger than Silverton.

The company has secured agreements to investigate sites across 450,000 hectares and emphasizes engaging with landowners throughout the process. A key concern for landholders remains reliable access to power. Nationals federal member Jamie Chaffey noted local farmers expressed genuine interest in working with Tilt, citing the company’s long-term consultation efforts.

However, any major development is at least ten years away and hinges on securing new transmission infrastructure. The Australian Energy Market Operator is currently reviewing Tilt’s proposal for these lines as part of its 2026 Integrated System Plan.