Ms D’Ambrosio has called on companies to register proposals for new renewable energy projects.

“We are determined to use our purchasing power as a large electricity consumer to boost investment in renewables and create new jobs for Victorians,” she said. 

"All parts of Victoria have the potential to share in the benefits of localised projects such as the Ararat Wind Farm.

“The renewable energy certificate tender process is expected to attract competitive proposals for renewable energy projects worth around $200 million and create about 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase.”

Ms D’Ambrosio said most of the new jobs will be based in regional Victoria where wind and solar projects are located.

“There is going to be a clear focus on job creation and when we talk about renewables, effectively we’re talking about job creation in regional Victoria,” she said. 

Under the program, the Labor Government will use its electricity purchasing power to buy at least 100 megawatts of ‘renewable energy certificates’ from new Victorian renewable energy projects. 

Certificates are credited to renewable energy companies for the power they produce under the national renewable energy target. 

Currently, electricity retailers include the certificate price in the amount they charge the Victorian Government for electricity. 

By purchasing certificates directly from new Victorian wind and solar projects instead, the State Government can use its purchasing power to drive new projects to be built in Victoria. 

Companies need to register their interest by Friday, 11 December 2015 in order to receive notifications on this tender, with tenders to open in January 2016. 

The electricity purchasing power initiative is part of the Labor Government’s Renewable Energy Roadmap.

The road map has so far identified issues including transitioning the wholesale electricity market towards renewables, reducing barriers to further development and what and how government can support renewable energy development.