Queensland Government Announces First Step Towards 13,400 Ongoing Clean Energy Jobs
20 August 2020: Queensland Government Announces First Step Towards 13,400 Ongoing Clean Energy Jobs
Solar Citizens today congratulates the Queensland Government on their announcement to invest $145 million to develop Renewable Energy Zones in North and Central Queensland, as well as the South West.
“Investments like this set Queensland up to realise our incredible solar and wind potential and become a clean energy superpower,” said Ellen Roberts, Solar Citizens’ National Director.
“Turbocharging Queensland’s clean energy industry will flood the market with cheaper energy and make it more competitive to kick-start new minerals processing and manufacturing industries.
“We have some of the world’s best solar resources, and great wind too. We can be using these resources to power steel manufacturing, renewable hydrogen production and battery manufacturing facilities.
“Queensland’s large-scale clean energy industry has been hamstrung by a need for more transmission infrastructure, so this announcement is just what the doctor ordered.”
Solar Citizens says that if all of the Renewable Energy Zones proposed by the Australian Energy Market Operator across Queensland were developed to their full potential it would create 13,400 ongoing clean energy jobs as well as 21,000 construction jobs every year for ten years.
Developing Renewable Energy Zones to their maximum potential would power:
- 14,230 construction jobs every year for ten years in the north of Queensland if Far North Queensland, North Queensland Clean Energy Hub, North Queensland, Barcaldine and Isaac Renewable Energy Zones were developed.
- 3,533 construction jobs every year for ten years in Central Queensland if Fitzroy and Wide Bay were developed.
- 3,255 construction jobs every year for ten years in the Darling Downs if it was developed.
“Making the most of our renewable energy potential would power tens of thousands of construction jobs across regional Queensland and unlock billions worth of investment,” said Ms Roberts.
“Today we’ve seen the Queensland Government make a smart investment to grow a thriving clean energy industry. Now it’s time for the Federal Government to come to the table like they’ve done in NSW to build Renewable Energy Zones.”
