3,000 QLD Construction Jobs Set to Disappear
The number of utility renewable energy construction jobs in Queensland is set to fall to zero next year if the Queensland Government doesn’t step up ambition on renewable energy growth, new analysis commissioned by Solar Citizens shows.
The analysis, carried out by Green Energy Markets, shows that at the beginning of this year close to 3,000 construction jobs were created from new large-scale renewable projects.
But a staggering drop in large-scale renewable investment across 2019 will see the jobs dry up completely by April.
In Queensland the amount of new renewable generation commissioned has dropped from over 1,400MW two years ago to less than 20MW this year, largely due to the end of the Federal Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET).
“The RET has fuelled a renewable energy boom in Queensland over the last three years, creating thousands of jobs and giving Queenslanders affordable electricity,” said Ellen Roberts, Solar Citizens’ National Director.
“But the RET has now been fully subscribed, and without the right policies to jump-start renewable energy project construction, the jobs and economic activity will completely collapse.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way. The solutions needed will not only keep Queenslanders employed in good jobs, they will also increase the amount of affordable, clean electricity in our Sunshine State and lay the groundwork for a strong, low-carbon economy,” said Roberts.
The Solar Citizens says the Queensland Government can protect renewable energy jobs by:
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Accelerating delivery of Queensland’s Renewables 400 reverse auction programme, and bringing forward CleanCo’s 1,000MW target from 2025 to 2020
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Committing to support the construction of 1-2GW per year of new renewable energy generation capacity through to 2025.
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Planning for a mix of public and privately owned clean energy power stations.
“The Federal Government’s track record on transitioning the economy, and workers, to renewable energy has been pretty hopeless, but the Queensland State Government can stop this looming disaster,” said Roberts.
“Accelerating and raising the ambition of Queensland’s renewable energy sector will be good for workers, residents, and the planet—it’s a win-win situation and a no-brainer for the Queensland Government,” said Roberts.
An earlier report from Green Energy Markets found that Queensland is not on track to meet its 50 per cent by 2030 renewable energy target, projecting the Sunshine State will only reach 30 per cent.
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Contacts:
Ellen Roberts (Solar Citizens): 0408583694
