North Queensland's renewable energy sector is booming with $5 billion in projects currently in the pipeline to create more than 5000 Megawatts of electricity and support 3200 jobs, the state government says.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told Queensland Parliament Tuesday morning the Australian Solar Council and Battery Storage Council estimates were a vote of confidence in Queensland policies, facilitating unprecedented renewable investment.
"From the 5 Megawatt Scouller Energy solar farm near Normanton, to the 180 Megawatt Mt Emerald Wind Farm and the 250 Megawatt Genex Kidston Pumped Hydro project, these projects represent an extraordinary amount of investment in an industry that barely existed two and a half years ago," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"They also represent an extraordinary vote of confidence in my government’s policies, including our commitment to a 50% renewable energy target by 2030.”
The Premier said their $386 million Powering North Queensland Plan saw them working closely with industry to develop new projects.
"The Plan will reinvest $150 million in dividends from our electricity assets – which we own – to build the transmission infrastructure necessary to connect these renewable projects to the grid,” she said.
"The injection of investment and jobs in renewable energy across this state is almost exclusively devoted to regional and rural areas where additional economic activity is amplified.”.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
