A bold clean energy plan has been announced, which will see coal-fired power phased out.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed the plan which will see the biggest pumped hydro scheme in the world.
Under the $62 billion dollar Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, a new dam in the Pioneer Valley near Mackay will supply half of Queensland’s entire energy needs with clean, reliable and affordable renewable energy.
While two new pumped hydro will also be build at Pioneer/Burdekin and Borumba Dam by 2035.
Ms Palaszczuk says by the end of 2032, 70 per cent of the state’s energy will be powered by renewables and 80 per cent by 20-35.
“This plan is all about cheaper, cleaner and secure energy for Queenslanders,” the Premier says.
“It is about turbo-charging new investment in new minerals, batteries and manufacturing.
“Renewable energy is the cheapest form of new energy.”
Deputy Premier Steven Miles says the two new pumped hydro facilities would be bigger than the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric scheme.
“We will use cheap solar electricity during the day to pump water up the mountain to store it. Then at night we can release the water to generate electricity. It’s like a giant battery.”
Minister for the Environment and Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon says the Energy and Jobs plan is also a plan for the environment.
“This is the best news the Great Barrier Reef has had in years,” Ms Scanlon says.
“It means emissions from energy will be cut by 90 per cent by 2035.
“This is real climate action.”
The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan also includes:
- A new Queensland SuperGrid connecting solar, wind, battery and hydrogen generators across the State
- Unlocking 22GW of new renewable capacity – giving us 8 times our current level
- Publicly owned coal fired-power stations to convert to clean energy hubs to transition to, for example, hydrogen power, 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
- Projects subject to environmental approvals
