The Queensland Government has announced a bold clean energy future for the Sunshine State—the SuperGrid—bringing together all elements of the electricity system to deliver 50% renewable energy by 2030, 70% by 2032, and 80% by 2035.
Queensland is shrugging off its former coal country cloak and embracing the environmental and economic benefits of a renewable future, with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last year unveiling a $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
The ambitious 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.
Related article: Neoen, Stanwell sign PPA for Mount Hopeful Wind Farm
Leading the transition from coal to clean energy
The largest generation capacity in Queensland’s renewables portfolio will come from pumped hydro. Queensland will transition from coal generation with two new pumped hydro projects at Pioneer-Burdekin and Borumba Dam.
Located 75km from Mackay, the Pioneer-Burdekin project will provide 5GW of generation with 24-hour storage, while the Borumba Dam pumped hydro project near Imbil on the Sunshine Coast could have as much as 2GW of 24-hour storage.
Both pumped hydro projects will be developed by a new organisation called Queensland Hydro.
The state will also be home to one of the largest onshore wind projects in the world, with global energy giant ACCIONA Energia announcing the development of its new $2 billion 1GW Herries Range Wind Farm, to be built within the MacIntyre Wind Precinct, west of Warwick. The new wind farm will bring the precinct value to $4 billion and the total amount of renewable energy to 2GW—enough to power 1.4 million Queensland homes.
The MacIntyre Wind Precinct, located in the Southern Queensland Renewable Energy Zone, will also include government-owned energy company CleanCo’s proposed Karara Wind Farm.
“The first two wind farms within the MacIntyre Wind Precinct—ACCIONA Energia’s 162-turbine MacIntyre Wind Farm and publicly owned CleanCo’s proposed 18-turbine Karara Wind Farm—were already expected to support 400 construction jobs,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.
“And that’s always been in addition to the 220 workers needed to build Powerlink’s transmission infrastructure that, as part of our new SuperGrid, will deliver the clean energy from MacIntyre Wind Precinct where and when it’s needed.”
ACCIONA Energia managing director Brett Wickham said the Herries Range Wind Farm would be the company’s third clean energy project in Queensland, with the 600MWp Aldoga solar farm also under development near Gladstone.
“Expanding the MacIntyre Precinct has been a natural decision for us,” he said.
“The precinct is widely supported by farmers, residents and the community.
“And, of course, Queensland’s renewable energy policies have given us the long-term confidence to keep investing in the sunshine state.
“Our plan is to roll from construction of MacIntyre straight into to Herries Range, which will mean that workers can move from one large-scale project to the next whilst staying in the same area.”
Renewables producer Neoen has also signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 215MW of clean energy with Queensland’s state-owned Stanwell Corporation for the newly announced Mount Hopeful Wind Farm, to be built 50km south of Rockhampton.
Under the 15-year agreement, Stanwell will purchase 65% of the generation capacity of the 330MW Mount Hopeful Wind Farm, which will be fully owned by Neoen.
This PPA will enable Stanwell to provide clean, renewable energy to their commercial and industrial customers, through their retail electricity business, Stanwell Energy.
Training and jobs
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan set a clear path to deliver the clean, reliable, and affordable energy that will provide power for generations to come.
“Building the Queensland SuperGrid is critical to unlocking 100,000 new jobs in energy generation, green hydrogen, critical minerals mining and battery manufacturing,” Minister de Brenni said.
“The first of two Queensland SuperGrid Training Centre and Transmission Hubs will play a central role in the nation’s future as Central Queensland’s energy mix changes and grows to meet changing global demand.
“Dedicated training facilities will allow for more than 500 energy workers each year to be upskilled in a range of areas, including high voltage technical training,” he said.
Mayor of Gladstone Region Matt Burnett welcomed the announcement saying it was another vote of confidence in the Gladstone region’s decarbonised future.
“We have industry knocking down the door to come to Gladstone because we have a real plan for more jobs in more industries,” Mayor Burnett said.
“It’s projects like this that put us in pole position to capitalise on the economic opportunities of new energy industries, while also ensuring our region maintains its industrial heritage and community vitality in a new transitioned economy.
“This centre is a clear sign that the Queensland Government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan will deliver a stronger future for Central Queensland,” he said.
Powerlink CEO Paul Simshauser said the training centre and transmission hub would drive significant benefits for Queenslanders.
“This facility will give Powerlink a local presence in Gladstone, providing a base for our people to support the energy system transformation and enable us to engage with local communities,” Simshauser said.
“Powerlink is moving into this interim site while it finalises the acquisition of a suitable permanent site in Gladstone, with construction expected to commence in 2024.
“The hub will also see improved emergency response times, logistics management, and utilisation of regional ports to reduce road haulage,” he said.
Related article: Queensland smashes records with renewables investment
Local manufacturing
Queensland is calling on local businesses to help create domestic manufacturing supply chains for the renewable energy components needed to build the SuperGrid.
Over the next 13 years, the state will require more than 2,000 wind towers and nacelles, more than 7,000 wind turbine blades, 25 million solar PV modules, and almost 7,000 batteries.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, “$62 billion means a step change investment in wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, pumped hydro equipment, and transmission lines.
“And because so much of it will be procured by Queensland Government Owned Corporations, we get the chance to use our purchasing power to drive local manufacturing, which means even more local jobs.
“Delivering this equipment presents an incredible economic opportunity for Queensland. We want to seize this opportunity by manufacturing as much of this renewable energy equipment as possible right here in Queensland.”
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the Government’s Energy Manufacturing Opportunities Prospectus would enable engagement with industry keen to support Queensland’s clean energy future through local manufacture.
“Instead of importing the wind tower blades, we could be manufacturing them in Queensland and using them to build our SuperGrid and exporting them to the world,” Miles said.
“We’re calling on industry and businesses who are prepared to manufacture this equipment here in Queensland to register their interest.
“Whether that’s by expanding existing facilities to meet the demand, establishing a new manufacturing business, or moving operations to Queensland, we want to engage with you.”
Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni the $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan clearly showed the renewable energy opportunity Queensland has at its fingertips.
“By applying our Buy Queensland procurement approach to the SuperGrid construction, we can aggregate demand for components that have traditionally been wholly imported and instead start an industrial scale manufacturing revolution,” de Brenni said.
“Our state already has the ingredients to become one of the most significant renewable energy powerhouses in the world, and we know Queenslanders are keen to make more things here and so are we.
“Our Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and the Buy Qld procurement approach means the publicly owned power companies will work with businesses to seize this opportunity and build entire new manufacturing supply chains to deliver this transformational infrastructure.
“We’ve already backed the construction of a hydrogen electrolyser plant in Central Queensland ,and we’re keen to get moving on batteries, transmission, electric vehicles, wind and solar farm component manufacturing too.”
