Industry and Environment ministers Ian Macfarlane and Greg Hunt announced on Monday their intention to cut the RET, or the amount of energy to be provided from renewable sources by 2020, from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 33,000 gigawatt hours.

The figure was an increase on the Coalition’s earlier proposal of 26,000 gigawatt hours.

Infigen Energy senior development and government affairs manager Jonathan Upson said little investment in large-scale renewables had been made in the past 18 months due to the uncertainty.

“However, with the return of bipartisan support for the RET scheme, I would like to think construction of the Flyers Creek wind farm project could start next year,” he said.

“While it is disappointing that the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target has been revised, the new 2020 target is still an 80 per cent increase compared to this year’s target.”

Once complete, Flyers Creek’s turbines, located 20 kilometres south of Orange, are expected to generate enough energy to power Orange, Bathurst and Blayney.

Infigen has been granted an extension to September to comply with consent conditions, which includes arrangements for external transmission lines. 

Three of the 26 landholders originally in favour of the proposal now oppose it, but Mr Upson said contract agreements were still in place and access to their land was still required in order for other landholders to participate.

“We’re trying to meet them halfway as much as we can,” he said.

He envisaged the number of turbines would remain at 42, but said it could decrease.

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au