As part of its $62 billion plan to phase out coal power and transition to 80% renewables in just over a decade, the Queensland government intends to establish 12 renewable energy zones in the state.
The 12 potential future REZs that the Labor Palaszczuk administration hopes to create and connect to the Queensland SuperGrid in three phases by 2035 are listed in a draft roadmap that was released on Tuesday.
In order to better coordinate the installation and connection of 22 gigawatts of new large-scale wind and solar generating, as well as long-term energy storage and green hydrogen production, the roadmap suggests using the precise zoning system.
Two sizable pumped hydro projects will be built at Borumba and Burdekin, as well as new transmission lines like the Copperstring line to Mt. Isa and green hydrogen hubs at Gladstone and Townsville.
“Only when renewables dominate the market will we see wholesale electricity prices come down permanently, so this roadmap is crucial to taking real action on easing the cost-of- living through the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan,” said state energy minister Mick de Brenni on Tuesday.
“It’s big in concept and shows how to deliver big when it comes to building a new energy infrastructure for the whole state and is also a signal to industry and private investors that we’re serious about renewable energy and partnerships with communities and project developers.”
Queensland, which now has the lowest share of renewable energy of any Australian state at 22%, would have a difficult time meeting the legislative targets it has set for itself: 50% by 2030, 70% by 2032, and 80% by 2035.
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