North Queensland’s Biggest Renewable Proposal Yet Announced
14 November 2022: North Queensland’s Biggest Renewable Proposal Yet Announced
Today’s announcement that Windlab will be working with Fortescue Future Industries to develop a clean energy North Queensland Super Hub is a game-changer, according to Solar Citizens.
The first projects announced for the Super Hub include the 800 MW Prairie Wind Farm and the 1000 MW Wongalee project. When completed, the entire hub is estimated to have a staggering 10 GW of clean energy capacity.
“The scale of what Windlab and Fortescue Future Industries are planning for North Queensland is truly astounding. Queensland currently has close to 3 GW of large-scale solar and wind projects, so this hub alone will be more than triple that,” said Stephanie Gray, Deputy Director of Solar Citizens.
“A hub of this scale will help provide abundant cheap and clean energy to power the region’s emerging renewable hydrogen industry.
“Other countries are looking to Australia to buy renewable hydrogen fuel to help them cut emissions, which is a great job and economic opportunity for regional Queensland.
“Research has indicated that northern Queensland is the cheapest place in the country to produce renewable hydrogen because of the region’s impressive co-located solar and wind resources.
“Today’s announcement comes after Ark Energy recently announced the Collinsville Green Energy Hub; a 3 GW renewable energy proposal that will help them achieve their goal of becoming a global player in renewable hydrogen production from Townsville.
“The private sector is leaping on regional Queensland’s potential to be a clean energy manufacturing powerhouse. We’d like to see governments work with industry to ensure the region has the right infrastructure, skills training and community backing for these proposals to proceed.
“We’re calling for the state and federal governments to announce the Townsville region as the country’s first Renewable Energy Industrial Precinct and urgently map a pathway for how that can be achieved. Without the right infrastructure, planning and coordination there’s a risk that not all of these proposals and opportunities will be realised.”
