Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Windlab have joined forces to deliver one of Queensland’s largest ever renewable energy projects—the North Queensland Super Hub (NQSH).
Speaking at the Bohle Industrial Estate in Townsville, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Windlab were behind the Super Hub, with plans to feed the electricity grid and produce green hydrogen at an industrial scale.
“The North Queensland Super Hub is an outstanding investment in Queensland’s energy future, from two companies with a longstanding presence in our State and a unique understanding of our natural resources and potential,” the Premier said.
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“My government is partnering with Fortescue Future Industries to deliver the Green Energy Manufacturing Centre in Gladstone—an electrolyser factory, which is set to have the largest capacity in the world when it comes online.
“And people would know Windlab as one of the developers behind the Kennedy Energy Park near Hughenden—a hybrid wind, solar and storage project.
“The new Super Hub will also bring together wind and solar projects, estimated to generate more than 10GW of renewable energy.
“This clean energy can be fed into the electricity grid and will support the large-scale production of green hydrogen—a fuel of the future, produced by green energy.
“With our natural resources and catalytic projects like the North Queensland Super Hub, our State is in the hot seat to supply green hydrogen to the world.”
Detailed planning is now underway for the North Queensland Super Hub, with the first stage to include the 800MW Prairie Wind Farm and the 1GW Wongalee project.
The Prairie Wind Farm alone will support up to 240 jobs during construction, and 10 to 15 permanent, full-time jobs during operation. Construction is expected to commence on the first stage by 2025, with the projects producing clean, green power by 2027.
Palaszczuk said the North Queensland Super Hub would accelerate the development of Northern Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (QREZ) and sit at the heart of Queensland’s SuperGrid.
“Our SuperGrid—made up of wind and solar projects, battery storage and pumped hydro—will supply Queensland with clean, affordable and reliable energy in the decades ahead,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“Building the SuperGrid is a key part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, which we released in September this year.
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“The plan represents $62 billion of public and private investment in the energy system by 2035.
“It will create 100,000 jobs by 2040, and guarantee secure jobs for energy workers.
“And it will help our state to further decarbonise, to reach the ambitious renewable energy targets we’ve set—including 70% renewable energy by 2032.”
