February 16, 2025

driving solar farm panels queensland-2

May’s Federal Election result is a clear signal that Australians want faster, smarter action on climate change.

Even in the main gas and coal mining regions of Queensland in Flynn, Capricornia, Hinkler and Dawson, the changes towards the Albanese government and the Greens show a willingness to accept the opportunities of a zero-carbon future.

Queenslanders across the Sunshine State know the huge benefits of smart action, as well as the risks of inaction.

This is a good time for the Queensland government, as it is set to unveil its 10-year energy plan.

The plan will set out the state’s vision to capture significant and immediate economic and employment opportunities, to ensure a stable, affordable energy supply, to establish Queensland as a global leader in solutions on the climate and position all Queenslanders for a more prosperous future.

The right level of ambition and policy initiatives are essential to help create certainty in the investment environment. This will provide energy security and efficiency, and help Australia play a key role in decarbonising hard-to-reduce industrial sectors and increasing our renewable exports to global markets.

Queensland’s current renewable energy target is to meet half of the state’s domestic energy needs with renewables by 2030. I believe there is broad consensus building between government, industry, unions and training institutions. of the need to go further and faster – now.

As the world’s economies improve their energy systems and embrace renewables, the Sunshine State is perfectly positioned to become a true world leader.

It has a vast landmass, abundant air and sunshine, viable large pumped hydro sites, about 45% of Australia’s mineral deposits, an active workforce with the right skills, and industrial ports. with strategic proximity to Asian markets. Queensland is already a trusted trading partner with a long history of reliably supplying energy to key markets such as Japan and Korea.

A new Accenture report, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, Queensland Conservation Council and WWF-Australia, concluded that Queensland could reduce emissions by 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, and create more than 87,000 jobs. through a package of policies focused on making the most of Queensland’s abundant renewable energy and land assets.

We must act quickly to seize the moment; to build local supply chains for the renewable energy industry, encourage local manufacturing and provide the right training to create local jobs – now, not years into the future.

There has already been some good progress, with the Queensland government’s support for new pumped hydro, which is urgently needed to address existing infrastructure issues, as well as its support for the rapid deployment of renewables. energy.

Further decarbonisation of the state’s industrial heartland through the creation of clean industrial precincts such as the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, as well as the development of new industrial production capacity for green hydrogen and green ammonia, increasing infrastructure and pipeline work, requiring new transmission. lines, sub stations and new solar and wind capacity many times the size of Queensland’s current electricity network.

Queensland has the potential to become a clean mineral processing hub, not just for the region but the world. Ark Energy – the Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc – is an example of how Queensland’s existing refineries are being upgraded to run on renewables, rather than building new greenfield facilities.

Rio Tinto has announced major plans to decarbonise its Gladstone aluminum production operations. Townsville, Abbot Point, Mackay and Gladstone are ideal locations for renewable hydrogen, ammonia and other e-fuels and green chemical production given their ready access to renewable energy sources, industrial ports and heritage and skilled workers.

With the right policy framework and investment, Queenslanders can reap the greater benefits of global scale green energy and new jobs and industries. Many new jobs will be based in regional areas, including the mining and refining of minerals such as lithium, bauxite, and rare earths that are important for batteries and other clean energy technologies.

Stronger support for education and training like the Gladstone STEM in Schools Program will better equip future generations of workers, provide secure career options in these regions and help realize the state’s potential.

But reducing emissions and creating jobs are not the only benefits of an ambitious energy transition. Recent pressures on the state’s highly dependent coal and gas energy system, and rising wholesale energy prices further highlight the importance of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Renewables are the cheapest option; CSIRO analysis shows that newly built wind and solar can generate electricity today for less than $50 to $70 per megawatt-hour. It is currently the cheapest source of newly built electricity generation in Australia and is expected to continue to be the lowest cost despite the added cost of adding energy storage and transmission to reach a grid powered by up to 90% renewables by 2030. By comparison, a new coal-fired power plant would cost $90-$140 per megawatt-hour, or as much as $200 per megawatt-hour when carbon capture and storage are included.

Fortunately for the Sunshine State, with its rich renewable resources and vast land, expanding and exporting renewables is a real option. If Queensland acts strongly now, it can become a dominant player in the growing renewable energy export market, ensuring its energy independence in the future and contributing to regional and global energy security.

Queensland’s ambitious 10-year energy plan isn’t just good for the climate. It will grow and future-proof Queensland’s economy, boost local businesses, ensure energy becomes more affordable and create new and safer jobs for today’s and tomorrow’s workers.

Furthermore, an ambitious energy plan is more likely to deliver the climate change action that Queenslanders are clearly anxious to see. We will not only win the Green State of Origin, we will export Sunshine Green Gas to the world.

Simon Currie is the principal and co-founder of Energy Estate

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