{"id":"renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017","name":"Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017","slug":"renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":178571,"registerId":"vic-renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017","content":"Version No. 003\n\n**Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017**\n\n**No. 56 of 2017**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n27 March 2024\n\n**TABLE OF PROVISIONS**\n\n*Section Page*\n\nPart 1—Preliminary 1\n\n1 Purposes 1\n\n2 Commencement 1\n\n3 Definitions 2\n\n4 Declared renewable energy sources 2\n\n5 Objects 3\n\n6 Crown to be bound 3\n\nPart 2—Renewable energy targets and capacity determinations 4\n\n7 Renewable energy targets 4\n\n7A Energy storage targets 4\n\n7B Offshore wind energy targets 5\n\n8 Minister to report to the Parliament annually on progress 6\n\n9 Capacity determinations 7\n\nPart 3—General 8\n\n10 Regulations 8\n\n═══════════════\n\nEndnotes 9\n\n1 General information 9\n\n2 Table of Amendments 11\n\n3 Explanatory details 12\n\n**Version No.** **003**\n\n**Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017**\n\n**No. 56 of 2017**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n27 March 2024\n\n**The Parliament of Victoria enacts:**\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n\t1 Purposes\n\nThe main purposes of this Act are—\n\n(a) to establish renewable energy targets for Victoria; and\n\nS. 1(ab) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 20.\n\n(ab) to establish energy storage targets for Victoria; and\n\nS. 1(ac) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 20.\n\n(ac) to establish offshore wind energy targets for Victoria; and\n\n(b) to support schemes to achieve targets under this Act and to encourage investment and employment in Victoria.\n\n\t2 Commencement\n\n(1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes into operation on a day or days to be proclaimed.\n\n(2) If a provision of this Act does not come into operation before 1 June 2018, it comes into operation on that day.\n\n\t3 Definitions\n\nIn this Act—\n\nS. 3 def. of *energy storage target* inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 21.\n\n***energy storage target*** means an energy storage target set out in section 7A;\n\n***large-scale facility*** means a generation facility that has a generation capacity of more than 100 kilowatts;\n\nS. 3 def. of *offshore area* *of Victoria* inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 21.\n\n***offshore area*** ***of Victoria*** means the offshore area of Victoria as defined by section 8 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 of the Commonwealth;\n\nS. 3 def. of *offshore wind energy target* inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 21.\n\n***offshore wind energy target*** means an offshore wind energy target set out in section 7B;\n\nS. 3 def. of *renewable energy source* amended by No. 42/2019 s. 2A.\n\n***renewable energy source*** means any of the following energy sources—\n\n(a) solar;\n\n(b) wind;\n\n(ba) hydro;\n\n(c) an energy source declared by the Minister under section 4;\n\n***renewable energy target*** means a renewable energy target set out in section 7.\n\n\t4 Declared renewable energy sources\n\nThe Minister, by notice published in the Government Gazette, may declare an energy source other than a prescribed source to be a renewable energy source for the purposes of this Act.\n\n\t5 Objects\n\nThe objects of this Act are—\n\n(a) to increase the proportion of Victoria's electricity generated by means of  \nlarge-scale facilities that utilise renewable energy sources or convert renewable energy sources into electricity; and\n\nS. 5(b) amended by No. 9/2024 s. 22(1).\n\n(b) to contribute to achieving the renewable energy targets, energy storage targets and offshore wind energy targets; and\n\nS. 5(c) amended by No. 9/2024 s. 22(2).\n\n(c) to support the development of projects and initiatives to encourage investment, employment and technology development in Victoria in relation to renewable electricity generation, energy storage and electricity generation in the offshore area of Victoria; and\n\n(d) to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Victoria and to achieve associated environmental and social benefits; and\n\n(e) to promote the transition of Victoria to a clean energy economy; and\n\n(f) to contribute to the security of electricity supply in Victoria.\n\n\t6 Crown to be bound\n\nThis Act binds the Crown, not only in right of Victoria but also, so far as the legislative power of the Parliament permits, the Crown in all its other capacities.\n\nPart 2—Renewable energy targets and capacity determinations\n\n\t7 Renewable energy targets\n\nThe renewable energy targets are—\n\n(a) by 2020, for 25% of electricity generated in Victoria to be generated by means of facilities that generate electricity by utilising renewable energy sources or converting renewable energy sources into electricity; and\n\nS. 7(b) amended by No. 42/2019 s. 3(1).\n\n(b) by 2025, for 40% of electricity generated in Victoria to be generated by means of facilities that generate electricity by utilising renewable energy sources or converting renewable energy sources into electricity; and\n\nS. 7(c) inserted by No. 42/2019 s. 3(2), amended by No. 9/2024 s. 23(1).\n\n(c) by 2030, for 65% of electricity generated in Victoria to be generated by means of facilities that generate electricity by utilising renewable energy sources or converting renewable energy sources into electricity; and\n\nS. 7(d) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 23(2).\n\n(d) by 2035, for 95% of electricity generated in Victoria to be generated by means of facilities that generate electricity by utilising renewable energy sources or converting renewable energy sources into electricity.\n\nS. 7A inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 24.\n\n\t7A Energy storage targets\n\n(1) The energy storage targets are—\n\n(a) by 2030, for energy storage facilities in Victoria to have the combined capacity to store and dispatch at least 2∙6 gigawatts of electricity at any time; and\n\n(b) by 2035, for energy storage facilities in Victoria to have the combined capacity to store and dispatch at least 6∙3 gigawatts of electricity at any time.\n\n(2) The Minister, by notice published in the Government Gazette, may declare a facility not to be an energy storage facility for the purposes of this section.\n\n(3) In this section—\n\n***energy storage facility*** means a facility (other than a facility declared not to be an energy storage facility under subsection (2)) connected to a distribution system or transmission system that has the capacity to store and dispatch electricity.\n\nS. 7B inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 24.\n\n\t7B Offshore wind energy targets\n\nThe offshore wind energy targets are—\n\n(a) by 2032, Victoria is to have the capacity to generate not less than 2 gigawatts of electricity in the offshore area of Victoria by converting wind energy into electricity; and\n\n(b) by 2035, Victoria is to have the capacity to generate not less than 4 gigawatts of electricity in the offshore area of Victoria by converting wind energy into electricity; and\n\n(c) by 2040, Victoria is to have the capacity to generate not less than 9 gigawatts of electricity in the offshore area of Victoria by converting wind energy into electricity.\n\n\t8 Minister to report to the Parliament annually on progress\n\n(1) The Minister must report to the Parliament for each financial year on—\n\n(a) the progress made towards meeting the renewable energy targets; and\n\n(b) the performance of schemes to achieve targets under this Act that promote the generation of electricity by large-scale facilities that utilise renewable energy sources or convert renewable energy sources into electricity; and\n\nS. 8(1)(c) amended by No. 9/2024 s. 25(1).\n\n(c) investment and employment in Victoria in relation to renewable electricity generation; and\n\nS. 8(1)(d) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(d) the progress made towards meeting the energy storage targets; and\n\nS. 8(1)(e) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(e) the performance of schemes to achieve the energy storage targets; and\n\nS. 8(1)(f) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(f) investment and employment in Victoria in relation to the storage of energy for the purposes of conversion into electricity; and\n\nS. 8(1)(g) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(g) the progress made towards meeting the offshore wind energy targets; and\n\nS. 8(1)(h) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(h) the performance of schemes to achieve the offshore wind energy targets; and\n\nS. 8(1)(i) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 25(2).\n\n(i) investment and employment in Victoria in relation to the generation of electricity in the offshore area of Victoria by converting wind energy into electricity.\n\n(2) The report must be in writing and contain the information determined by the Minister.\n\n(3) The Minister must cause the report for the financial year to be laid before each House of the Parliament on or before 31 October in the subsequent financial year or, if a House is not then sitting, on the first sitting day of that House after 31 October.\n\n\t9 Capacity determinations\n\nThe Minister, by notice published in the Government Gazette, must determine the minimum amounts of renewable energy generation capacity required to meet the targets under this Act for the purposes of contributing to the achievement of—\n\n(a) the renewable energy target for 2020—by 31 December 2017; and\n\nS. 9(b) amended by No. 42/2019 s. 4(1).\n\n(b) the renewable energy target for 2025—by 31 December 2019; and\n\nS. 9(c) inserted by No. 42/2019 s. 4(2), amended by No. 9/2024 s. 26(a).\n\n(c) the renewable energy target for 2030—by 31 December 2025; and\n\nS. 9(d) inserted by No. 9/2024 s. 26(b).\n\n(d) the renewable energy target for 2035—by 31 December 2030.\n\nPart 3—General\n\n\t10 Regulations\n\n(1) The Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to any matter required or permitted to be prescribed or necessary or convenient to be prescribed to give effect to this Act.\n\n(2) Regulations made under this section may—\n\n(a) be of general or limited application; and\n\n(b) differ according to differences in time, place or circumstance.\n\n ═══════════════\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\n*Minister's second reading speech—*\n\n*Legislative Assembly: 24 August 2017*\n\n*Legislative Council: 21 September 2017*\n\nThe long title for the Bill for this Act was \"A Bill for an Act to establish renewable energy targets for Victoria, to support schemes to achieve targets under the Act and for other purposes.\"\n\nThe **Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017** was assented to on 8 November 2017 and came into operation on 15 December 2017: Special Gazette (No. 433) 12 December 2017 page 2.\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided section or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subsections or subclauses, the original section or clause becomes subsection or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original section or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any heading inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; sections; clauses; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms. See section 36(1A)(2A).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Act. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 forms part of that Act. Any punctuation inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. See section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in an Act form part of that Act, whether inserted in the Act before, on or after 1 January 2001. Provision numbers include section numbers, subsection numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of an Act is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of an Act.  \nSee section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the **Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017** by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n**Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Amendment Act 2019, No. 42/2019**\n\n| Assent Date: | 6.11.19 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | Ss 2A–4 on 13.8.20: s. 2(2) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017** |\n\n\n**Climate Change and Energy Legislation Amendment (Renewable Energy and Storage Targets) Act 2024, No. 9/2024**\n\n| Assent Date: | 26.3.24 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | Ss 20–26 on 27.3.24: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017** |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Explanatory details\n\nNo entries at date of publication.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, the Act appears to have remained consistent with its original stated purpose of promoting renewable energy investment and job creation in Victoria. No significant scope amendments are evident from the version history provided, though the limited text supplied makes a definitive assessment difficult."},"complexity_factors":["Limited legislative text provided — only metadata and version history visible, making full analysis impossible","Enabling/framework legislation of this type can have complexity hidden in subordinate regulations and schemes not visible here","Intersection with Commonwealth energy and corporations law adds a layer of jurisdictional complexity","Financial and contractual mechanisms (if present in full text) can be technically involved","Overall structure appears relatively focused and purpose-driven, keeping inherent complexity moderate to low"],"plain_english_summary":"The Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Act 2017 (Vic) is a state law to accelerate wind, solar and other clean energy projects by giving government powers to support, fund and coordinate renewables and encourage investment. It affects developers, regional workers and communities, taxpayers/consumers, and agencies administering programs. It matters because it signals Victoria’s pro‑renewables stance, aims to attract projects and investment, and links development to local job outcomes."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 2017 Act focused solely on renewable electricity generation targets (25% by 2020, 40% by 2025). Through amendments in 2019 and 2024, the scope has expanded significantly to include: (1) an increased 2030 target (65%) and new 2035 target (95%), (2) entirely new energy storage targets for batteries and grid-scale storage, and (3) entirely new offshore wind energy targets for wind farms in Victorian coastal waters. The Act has evolved from a simple renewable energy target framework into a comprehensive clean energy transition statute covering generation, storage, and offshore development."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute with only 10 operative sections","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to the Commonwealth Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 for the offshore area definition)","Straightforward target-setting structure with clear percentage and capacity figures","Limited conditional logic (primarily Ministerial discretion to declare energy sources and facilities)","Simple amendment history tracked through clear insertion notes","No nested exceptions or complex deeming provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This Victorian law sets legally binding targets for how much of the state's electricity must come from renewable sources, and now also includes targets for energy storage and offshore wind farms.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Renewable energy targets**: Requires Victoria to source 25% of its electricity from renewables by 2020, 40% by 2025, 65% by 2030, and 95% by 2035.\n- **Energy storage targets**: Requires the state to build enough battery and storage capacity to store and dispatch 2.6 gigawatts by 2030 and 6.3 gigawatts by 2035.\n- **Offshore wind targets**: Requires capacity to generate 2 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2032, 4 gigawatts by 2035, and 9 gigawatts by 2040.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Electricity generators and retailers who must meet these targets through related schemes (like the Victorian Renewable Energy Target scheme).\n- Investors and developers of solar, wind, hydro, battery storage, and offshore wind projects.\n- Victorian households and businesses who ultimately use the electricity.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe law creates certainty for clean energy investment, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and helps transition Victoria away from coal-fired power. It requires the Minister to report annually to Parliament on progress, ensuring transparency. The Minister can also declare what counts as a \"renewable energy source\" and determine the minimum generation capacity needed to hit each target."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Act began as a statute establishing renewable electricity targets. Subsequent amendments (noted in the Table of Amendments) expanded scope to add energy storage targets and offshore wind targets, adjusted target timelines and percentages, and increased reporting and ministerial functions (see inserts s.1(ab)–(ac), s.7A, s.7B, expanded s.8 and revised s.9). These changes broaden statutory objectives and administrative duties beyond the original renewable-generation focus."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping target types with staggered deadlines (renewable s.7; storage s.7A; offshore wind s.7B)","Significant ministerial discretion to declare or exclude technologies and set capacity (s.4; s.7A(2); s.9)","Statutory reporting with Minister-determined content and fixed parliamentary timetables (s.8(1)–(3))","Regulations may vary by time, place or circumstance, permitting differentiated application (s.10(2))","Cross‑reference to Commonwealth law to define offshore area creates inter-jurisdictional dependency (s.3)","Amendments have added new target types and timelines, increasing versioning and implementation complexity (Table of Amendments; ss.1, 7A, 7B, 8, 9)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act sets numerical targets for Victoria’s electricity: renewable targets (s.7), energy storage targets (s.7A) and offshore wind targets (s.7B). It requires the Minister to determine capacity contributions (s.9), report annually (s.8) and declare additional renewable sources (s.4) or exclude storage facilities (s.7A(2)). Effectively, it steers public policy, shapes investment incentives for generators, storage providers and offshore developers, and creates administrative and compliance duties borne by project proponents and market participants (s.1, s.10)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017","history":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/renewable-energy-jobs-and-investment-act-2017/documents"}}