Delta Electricity and Macquarie Generation are planning to set up two 1,000 megawatt fossil fuel based power plants in New South Wales because they claim that the State does not have the adequate renewable energy potential.

In fact, NASA estimates put solar readings in New South Wales at 6kw/m²/day which is equal to the solar radiation received in Southern California and similar to Spain. Southern California and Spain are the largest solar power production regions in the world.

The New South Wales Department of Industry and Investment website states that "NSW has an excellent wind resource. Background wind speeds in NSW are comparable to northern Europe, where a large portion of international wind generation is currently installed". Yet, only about 150 megawatts of wind power generation is currently installed or under constrruction in the State.

A geothermal anomaly south of Muswellbrook in the State’s Hunter Valley is believed to have similar potential, although on a smaller scale, for extracting energy from hot dry rocks as South Australia’s Cooper Basin which is regarded as one of the best such sites in the world.

And, of course, the State boasts one of the world’s great hydroelectric schemes in the Snowy Mountains.

The New South Wales Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, has approved a $190 million wind and solar farm near Scone in the Upper Hunter Valley.

The Kyoto Energy Park will include 34 wind turbines, a mini hydro-electric generator using recycled water, up to 100 hectares of solar panels and a visitor education centre. It will provide enough renewable power for more than 47,000 homes and create the equivalent of 15 full-time jobs.

Despite extensive community consultation and Government assessment of the farm’s noise, flora and fauna and visual impact – resulting in its scaling back and the attachment of 67 conditions to its approval, some local residents continue to protest at its construction. Carmel Lymbury says the Mr Kelly has ignored community concerns about its noise and visual impacts and thoroughbred horse breeder, Mike Thew, says that he fears the giant wind turbines will ruin the rural landscape.