Stronger Climate Action will Power Up Queensland Jobs
27 September 2021: Stronger Climate Action will Power Up Queensland Jobs
As pressure builds for the Australian Government to adopt a net zero by 2050 climate target, analysis from community group Solar Citizens has shown that fast-tracking the energy transition could create an extra 22,000 construction and installation job years in Queensland by 2030 compared with business as usual.
“Queensland will miss out on job opportunities if we don’t embrace climate action. If we drag our feet we’ll miss the chance to establish thriving new export industries in renewable hydrogen, ‘green’ steel and aluminium,” said Solar Citizens’ Energy Strategist Stephanie Gray.
“Turbocharging Queensland’s rollout of renewable energy could see a total of 44,000 clean energy job years created in the installation of solar, wind and distributed storage by 2030 as well as an additional 2,000 jobs in operations and maintenance.”
The Queensland job figures, released earlier this year and based on future scenario modelling from the Australian Energy Market Operator, take into account additional jobs that could be created in small and large-scale solar, wind and household batteries if Australia embraces stronger emission reduction targets.
Solar Citizens has also analysed job opportunities in Townsville, finding that low carbon manufacturing and industry projects would provide a $154 billion economic boost over their lifetime and over 3,950 ongoing jobs if they were powered by renewable energy projects.
Over the weekend Townsville business and community leaders announced a new consortium to position the city as a hydrogen and renewable energy manufacturing hub.
“The move to cleaner energy is a no-brainer here in the Sunshine State. Hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders are already seeing solar savings from their rooftop, and large-scale solar and wind projects are pushing ageing coal stations out of the market because they provide cheaper electricity.
“Queensland is one of the best places to develop new renewable powered manufacturing and industry precincts. If our governments act fast, we’ll be well-placed to begin powering the world with Queensland-made renewable hydrogen.
“For a long time hardworking regional Queenslanders have been keeping our electricity system running and the lights on. This energy expertise will be critical as we move to the next generation of energy and begin to export our solar and wind resources to the world.”
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Media contact: Stephanie Gray 0425543006
