The Australian Government is committed to addressing climate change, ensuring affordable and reliable energy for all Australians, and driving economic growth while protecting and restoring our environment.
The Australian Government has set ambitious climate targets:
- net zero emissions by 2050
- 82% renewable electricity generation by 2030.
New and expanding renewable energy developments may have an impact on animals, plants, habitats and places. Australia’s national environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), promotes ecologically sustainable development. It also gives us a robust process to conserve and protect Australia's environment, Commonwealth Heritage places and World Heritage properties.
Priority Renewable Energy Projects
We have developed a National Priority List of Renewable Energy Projects, which are important for Australia’s renewable energy transition. We are working with jurisdictions and proponents to accelerate environment assessments.
Learn more about the initiative.
Renewables Environmental Research Initiative
We are delivering the Renewables Environmental Research Initiative (RERI) to help Australia transition to renewable energy while protecting the environment.
Learn more about the RERI.
Approvals under the EPBC Act
It's our role to assess the environmental impacts of projects that could have a significant impact on nationally protected matters. Proponents need to demonstrate the project will result in an acceptable level of impact before it can be approved.
The EPBC Act gives us a robust referral and assessment process for environmental approvals. We follow this process to assess the impact of proposed actions, such as building an onshore wind farm. This includes actions such as building a wind farm, solar farm, or other related renewable projects such as transmission and battery energy storage.
If your project will or might significantly impact on protected matters, submit a referral to us. Some projects may be assessed by your state or territory under a bilateral agreement.
Community consultation is an important part of our assessment of the environmental impacts. And each assessment also includes several periods of public comment.
We may attach conditions to an approval to manage impacts to one or more protected matters. Conditions can include requirements to avoid, mitigate and monitor the impacts. As a last resort, they may require offsetting any adverse residual impacts.
We publish decisions on assessed projects on the EPBC Act Public Portal.
Supporting faster EPBC timeframes
You can also play a role in reducing overall approval timeframes for your project. You can enable faster assessments by:
- carefully considering site-selection to avoid impacts to protected matters
- engaging with us early in the project planning stage (well before sites are chosen)
- using the guidance material
- submitting a referral application as early as possible
- providing high quality and timely ecological data
- outlining measures taken to avoid, using offsets as a last resort.
Not considering and avoiding environmental impacts during the early stages of project design can lead to longer environmental assessments. This can also be more expensive and result in uncertainty for the project. Projects that avoid sensitive environmental areas have the fastest and smoothest regulatory pathway.
Penalties for non-compliance
We also monitor compliance with the EPBC Act and enforce the conditions of an approval. Learn more about compliance and enforcement.
Environmental assessments
We're assessing the environmental impacts of many projects. Assessments may cover a range of renewable energy projects, including:
- renewable energy generation
- wind farms (offshore and onshore)
- solar farms
- combined solar and wind farms
- pumped hydropower
- green hydrogen plants
- infrastructure associated with renewable energy
- electricity transmission lines
- energy product pipelines
- battery energy storage facilities.
Learn how to refer a proposed action for assessment using our Referrals and assessments guide.
Licensing and approvals for offshore projects
Offshore renewable energy projects within the Commonwealth marine area are assessed under the EPBC Act. They also need licensing under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 (OEI Act).
Three key entities are responsible for administering the OEI Act framework.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW):
- identifies areas for future licensing
- advises the Minister for Climate Change and Energy on Declarations under the OEI Act.
The Offshore Infrastructure Registrar:
- assesses licence applications
- advises the Minister for Climate Change and Energy on licence-related decisions
- administers licences once granted and maintains a register of licences.
Staff from the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) help the Registrar.
The Offshore Infrastructure Regulator:
- assesses and approves activities under OEI Act licences
- monitors and enforces compliance against OEI Act requirements.
Learn more about regulation of offshore renewable energy projects.
Protecting Australian marine and national parks
Certain activities need approval from the Director of National Parks. This includes any activities planned within Commonwealth parks, reserves, and marine areas. Approvals are authorised under either:
- the EPBC Act or
- the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2025 (EPBC Regulations).
Find out about permits and licences for activities in:
Also consult the Director of National Parks for planned activities outside of these areas that could affect:
- biodiversity
- natural, cultural and heritage values.
Guidance for new or expanding projects
We've developed policies and advice to help with assessing the environmental impacts of renewable energy projects.
- Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 - Matters of National Environmental Significance - 2013
- Offshore renewables environmental approvals - OIR- 2022
- Impacts on birds of offshore wind farms - 2025
- EPBC Act Policy Statement 2.34 - Wind farm industry - 2009
- Key environmental factors for offshore windfarm environmental impact assessment guidance - 2023
See all our EPBC Act data and publications.
Get in touch
For questions about the environmental assessment process under the EPBC Act, contact us by either:
- Email: epbc.referrals@nationalepa.gov.au
- Phone: 1800 423 135 between 9am and 5pm Canberra time.