Qld announces 12 renewable energy zones in draft Roadmap

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk surrounded by Powerlink executives and workers (renewable zones)
Image: Powerlink

“Across the Southern, Central, North and Far North Queensland regions we have worked with Powerlink Queensland, as the proposed REZ Delivery Body, to identify the indicative location of 12 potential future REZs to be developed in phases to 2035,” the government said in a statement.

“As new opportunities emerge over time, and in line with changing market conditions, additional REZs may be identified in the future.”

The draft Roadmap highlights the pathway for connecting eight times more renewable energy than Queensland has now.

Related article: Spotlight on the SuperGrid

The Roadmap has been released in draft to give Queenslanders an opportunity to have their say on how REZs are developed.

Queensland’s ambitious SuperGrid plan includes:

• 70% of Queensland’s energy supply from renewables by 2032 and 80% by 2035

• Two new pumped hydro projects at Pioneer-Burdekin and Borumba Dam by 2035

• A new Queensland SuperGrid connecting solar, wind, battery, and hydrogen generators across the state

• 22GW of new renewable capacity—eight times the current capacity

• Publicly owned coal fired-power stations to convert to clean energy hubs with jobs guarantees for workers

• Queensland’s publicly-owned coal-fired power stations to stop reliance on burning coal by 2035

• 100,000 new jobs by 2040, most in regional Queensland

• 11.5GW of rooftop solar and 6GW of embedded batteries

• 95% of investment in regional Queensland

• Building Queensland’s first hydrogen-ready gas turbine.

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