‘Hurdles’ hit power potential

ENERGY policy uncertainty, transmission issues and grid restraints are killing investment and jobs in Queensland, community-based Solar Citizens says.

The group has released figures showing more than 51,000 construction jobs, including 8800 in the Townsville region, could be created in Queensland if 108 proposed large-scale renewable energy projects go to development.

Analysis by consultant Green Energy Markets found that the projects were worth $36 billion to the Queensland economy and they could provide enough electricity to cover 92 per cent of Queensland’s electricity usage.

In the Townsville and Dry Tropics region, 18 proposed projects would provide 3.4GW of capacity – enough to power a million homes – save 7.5 million tonnes a year of carbon dioxide, create 8800 construction and 500 operational jobs and inject $6.6 billion worth of investment.

“These projects would present ongoing job opportunities for regional Queenslanders and could play a key role in boosting the struggling economy,” Solar Citizens national director Ellen Roberts said.

“But new renewable projects are facing mountains of hurdles and developers are saying to us, ‘we’re looking down south’, because the incentives are not here to bring the projects to Queensland.”

Ms Roberts said the Federal and State governments needed to step up and remove barriers stopping new projects from getting off the ground.

“Energy policy uncertainty, transmission issues and grid restraints are killing renewable investment in Queensland, and therefore, killing the potential for new renewable jobs,” Ms Roberts said.

Green Energy Markets’ Tristan Edis said while there had been a complete collapse in Queensland renewable energy investment last year, it was not for a lack of quality wind and solar farm sites.

He said Queensland had the potential to become a renewable energy superpower.