Queensland has legislated a 75 per cent emissions reduction target by the year 2035 and has invested in a multi-billion dollar clean economy plan.
Setting a strong climate target and promoting clean energy is important to ensure industry continues to thrive in that state.
In preparation for ARBSQLD next month, CCN examines Queensland’s clean energy transition and net zero plans.
Recognising the importance of a clean economy and energy efficiency the Queensland government in partnership with industry has invested heavily in renewable energy production and associated green industries such as renewables manufacturing, solar farms and hydrogen.
Queensland has 52 large scale wind and solar farms including the largest solar farm in the nation.
The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan includes delivering 24-hour renewable energy for manufacturing, working with agricultural producers on natural capital and carbon farming, support for the resources sector to lower emissions, developing a new critical minerals industry and delivering zero emission buses.
By establishing a Clean Economy Expert Panel in legislation, the state is working with the private sector, community and NGO sector, unions, and the federal government to deliver on these sector-based plans.
As the Sunshine State, Queensland has some of the world’s best solar resources, onshore wind resources and critical minerals reserves.
The state has the natural resources combined with a skilled workforce to become a manufacturing and renewable energy superpower.
As a clean energy powerhouse with ample space for renewable energy production and the associated green manufacturing that is enabled by cheap electricity, Queensland’s future is bright.
Moreover, regional Queensland is at the centre of this clean energy industry revolution with the hydrogen, renewables manufacturing and critical minerals the world needs.
Projections show that investing in these industries will deliver 100,000 jobs for Queenslanders, with 95 per cent of investment expected in the regions.
At the same time this renewable transformation of Queensland’s SuperGrid will deliver lower electricity prices in the long term.
Here are just a few of the projects underway:
Kaban Green Power Hub is a $373 million renewable energy project located in the Atherton Tablelands of Far North Queensland. It consists of a 157MW wind farm (with development approval for a 100MW battery), and together with associated transmission upgrades being undertaken by Powerlink, is expected to create 250 construction jobs;
Copperstring 2032 Queenslanders will own CopperString 2032 through an expanded $5 billion investment. Once complete, CopperString 2032 will connect $500 billion in critical minerals with the largest renewable energy zone on the east coast of Australia unlocking the next mining boom and jobs across the North West Minerals Province and North Queensland;
Queensland’s Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES). Set across two sites, this will form the energy storage backbone of Queensland’s SuperGrid;
The Queensland government has committed a $6 billion equity investment to build the 2,000 MW Borumba Pumped Hydro Project;
Acciona wind farm. The Queensland government has partnered with Acciona, a global leader in renewable energy and infrastructure solutions, to deliver one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.
The project is expected to generate 1,026MW of wind power and will provide a massive boost to Queensland’s economy with local spending expected to exceed $500 million.
Up to 400 local jobs are expected to be created during construction with an additional 240 jobs created for the construction of a 64 kilometer transmission line.
The project has boosted the Queensland government's decarbonisation strategy, mobilising total investments of $1.96 billion.
ACCIONA has reached an agreement with CleanCo, the Queensland Government’s newest renewable energy generator, for it to become the independent owner and operator of a 100MW wind farm within the MacIntyre complex.
In addition, CleanCo will acquire the annual production of 400MW from ACCIONA's facilities for 10 years through a power purchase agreement (PPA).
The project began in mid-2021, and the entire MacIntyre complex became operational last year.
MacIntyre's 1,026MW capacity generates clean electricity to about 700,000 homes.
By greening Queensland's electricity mix, the MacIntyre wind complex will help the state meet its decarbonisation commitments and climate change mitigation strategies. The scale of the MacIntyre project makes it one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world today.
The complex consists of 180 Nordex Group’s Delta4000 turbines, each with a capacity of up to 5.7MW, which are the latest generation of turbines launched by the German manufacturer.
Other projects transforming Queensland's energy mix is the Central Queensland (CQ) Hydrogen Hub.
It could produce up to 292,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year by 2031. This is equivalent to fuelling more than double Australia’s current heavy vehicle fleet.
The Australian Government is providing a $69.2 million grant to help develop the CQ Hydrogen Hub in Gladstone.
Another exciting project is the Fortescue Future Industries Green Energy Manufacturing Centre
The first stage of the project will establish Australia’s first multi-gigawatt scale electrolyser manufacturing facility, with an initial capacity of two gigawatts (GW) per annum – more than doubling current global production.
The Hub will include the Chinchilla Battery and the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant, one of the state’s first renewable hydrogen projects to come online, with $28.9 million from the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund allocated.
Five year training plan to 2032
The Queensland Skills Strategy is a five-year plan to further strengthen the state’s training system to deliver skills needed to power the economy.
The strategy is also Queensland’s roadmap to deliver on the National Skills Agreement, unlocking billions of dollars in areas of national priority.
Queensland’s workforce is more skilled than ever, with more than 2.2 million working Queenslanders (73%) projected to hold a Certificate III or above as their highest qualification by 2027-28.
The top five regions for employment growth are projected to be:
Sunshine Coast (7.3% or 14,708 additional workers)
Logan-Beaudesert (6.6% or 9,320 additional workers)
Moreton Bay-North (6.4% or 5,768 additional workers)
Gold Coast (6.2% or 22,009 additional workers)
Brisbane (6.1% or 61,348 additional workers)
Total job opportunities will be even greater due to replacement demand - turnover due to people permanently leaving jobs means nearly 400,000 total job opportunities for Queenslanders.