Energy

The Queensland Government’s commitment to unlock renewable investment and achieve our renewable energy targets are key mechanisms to support our emissions reduction targets.

Queensland’s energy future is about attracting and driving new industry to our regions and becoming a world leader in renewable hydrogen development and export. Affordable, clean and secure energy will deliver thousands of jobs for Queenslanders and help drive economic growth across our state.

Government action

Queensland has 5,774 megawatts of clean energy projects today (operational, under construction and financially committed) – representing over $10 billion in investment and 7,900 construction jobs. Queensland has the highest rate of household rooftop solar installations in Australia, with one in three homes boasting solar.

Queensland’s electricity demand is now being supplied by over 20% renewable sources and our commitment to renewable energy has produced some of the lowest prices in the nation.

The Queensland Government is already facilitating the development of the renewable energy industry, including the following initiatives:

  • Investments

    • Boosted funding of $4.5 billion for the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund, including funding for energy government owned corporations to increase ownership of commercial renewable energy and hydrogen projects as well as supporting infrastructure, including in partnership with the private sector.
    • $145 million commitment to establish three Queensland Renewable Energy Zones (QREZ) (northern, central and southern). Projects within these zones include:
      • Kaban Green Power Hub
        • The first stage of the Northern QREZ is a $40 million investment to support Neoen’s Kaban Green Power Hub wind farm. The wind farm is worth over $370 million and will generate around 250 jobs through construction.
      • Pumped Hydro
        • $22 million for detailed design and cost analysis for pumped hydro at Borumba Dam.
    • The Powering Queensland Plan delivered $1.16 billion of investment to ensure Queenslanders continue to enjoy an affordable and secure supply of electricity. The Plan also supported the transition to a cleaner energy sector and creates new investment and jobs.
    • The Decarbonising Remote Communities program provides $3.6 million support to four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland’s far north – Doomadgee, Mapoon, Pormpuraaw and the Northern Peninsula Area – to install renewable energy systems to reduce the use of diesel power. Participating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Councils are partners in planning and delivering these projects.
    • The Affordable Energy Plan invested more than $300 million in a range of pilots and programs to assist households to reduce their energy use and costs including the Solar for Rentals Trial, the Interest-free Loans for Solar and Storage program and the Business Energy Savers program.
    • The Queensland government has announced a $17 million grant to establish a new “state-of-the-art” renewable energy training facility in Brisbane, focusing on apprentices, as part of the state government’s ongoing stimulus measures in response to COVID-19.
    • Construction has commenced on Queensland’s $20 million Hydrogen Training Centre of Excellence at Beenleigh.

  • Actions

    • Implement the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, which outlines how the Queensland Government will achieve our renewable energy targets and ensure a sustainable and affordable energy future for Queenslanders.
    • Queensland Government-owned corporation CleanCo Queensland is delivering reliable clean energy solutions with a target to support 1,000 MW of new renewable generation by 2025.
    • The newly established Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy and Hydrogen Taskforce will fast track the development, production, domestic use and export of hydrogen from Queensland.
    • The development of three QREZ will inject economic activity into regional communities and position Queensland as a renewable energy investment destination of choice.
    • The Renewables 400 program identified the best projects to increase the state’s diversified renewable energy supply and is delivering up to 400 MW of new renewable energy and storage projects across the state.
    • The Business Energy Savers program provided energy audits and funding to help 191 farms and businesses improve their energy efficiency, reduce costs and transition from obsolete tariffs.
    • Stanwell is partnering with Japanese energy company Iwatani Corporation to progress a potential new export-scale hydrogen facility at Gladstone Port, with opportunities to create more than 5,000 jobs for regional Queenslanders.
    • CS Energy and IHI Corporation Japan announced a partnership in February 2021 to assess the feasibility of establishing a renewable hydrogen demonstration plant next to CS Energy’s Kogan Creek Power Station near Chinchilla. The concept includes the co-location of a solar farm, battery, hydrogen electrolyser and a hydrogen fuel cell.
    • In March 2021, Gladstone Ports Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sumitomo Australia, Gladstone Regional Council, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, and Central Queensland University to establish a Gladstone ‘hydrogen ecosystem’ which will enable parties to work together to identify and progress hydrogen opportunities in the region.
    • In April 2021, the Port of Townsville Limited (POTL) and Origin Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of a hydrogen facility in Townsville. This includes investigating the potential expansion of POTL land, construction of a new berth and supporting infrastructure.
    • In October 2021, The Queensland Government and Rio Tinto signed a statement of cooperation:
      • committing to industry by establishing certainty for current industry and growing demand.
      • delivering a globally competitive energy solution that is centred around firmed, low-carbon electricity for industry.
      • growing the industries of the future in Central Queensland by creating an enabling regulatory environment, strengthening regional skills and employment to lower capital intensity, and planning for the infrastructure to enable industry development.
    • In October 2021, the Queensland Government partnered with Fortescue Future Industries to commit to developing one of the world’s largest hydrogen-equipment manufacturing facilities in Gladstone.
  • Plans

    • Queensland's Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap will support the further development of Queensland's highly skilled workforce to enable the continued growth of the state's clean energy industry.
    • The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan outlines how the Queensland Government will achieve our renewable energy targets and ensure a sustainable and affordable energy future for Queenslanders:
      • 50% renewable energy target by 2030
      • 70% renewable energy target by 2032
      • 80% renewable energy target by 2035
    • The Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan is helping to grow this emerging industry with global growth potential over the next decade.

Climate action projects

View all climate action projects

Jobs and skills for Queensland’s future

Existing initiatives helping to skill Queenslanders for future opportunities in the energy sector include:

  • Through the Affordable Energy Plan, the Queensland Government has invested over $300 million in a range of pilots and programs to assist households to reduce their energy use and costs. This included the Energy Savvy Families initiative, with an investment of $5 million to help low-income families learn about their electricity use and manage their bills. An additional $4 million was provided by the government to expand the program to an additional 4,000 families.
  • The Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy highlights the Queensland Government’s commitment to facilitate skills development that will be responsive to the needs of the hydrogen industry as it grows. Actions being undertaken to facilitate skills development for new technology including:
    • Work with industry and the Manufacturing Skills Working Group to identify training and skills required and develop a hydrogen skills plan.
    • Work with the industry as it develops, to ensure that training and skills programs are responding to the emerging skills required for the manufacture and maintenance of hydrogen technologies.
    • Ensure regulatory and first responder agencies are aware of emerging hydrogen-related uses and equipped with the knowledge and skills to ensure the safe and sustainable development of the industry.
  • The ecoBiz program, managed by the Business Chamber Queensland and funded by the Queensland Government, works with more than 1,100 Queensland small and medium sized businesses through personal coaching, training and tools to help improve their resource efficiency, environmental sustainability and lower their operating costs.

What you can do

Community, business and industry are encouraged to take action to harness opportunities in a low carbon future.

Read about the Queensland Government’s current grants and funding opportunities.

More sectors

  • The Queensland Government’s commitment to unlock renewable investment and achieve our renewable energy target of 50% by 2030 is a key mechanism to support our emissions reduction targets.

  • The production of wind turbines, solar cells, batteries and high-tech devices like mobile phones offers opportunities for Queensland’s resources sector. ‘critical minerals’ like copper, cobalt and graphite are critical to these products and place Queensland in a unique position to contribute to the developing high-tech, low carbon economy.

  • The manufacturing sector underpins many other sectors of the Queensland economy, making it important that new technologies and practices are adopted to enhance production and competitiveness.

  • The shift to zero-emission vehicles, including batteries, fuel cells and biofuels, and complementary industries, such as the manufacture of green hydrogen and sustainable mining of essential minerals, can create new manufacturing businesses and jobs. There are also wider benefits from a zero emission future including lower transport costs and improved air quality that will contribute to more liveable and resilient Queensland communities.

  • The shift to a low-carbon future presents significant opportunities for Queensland’s land and agriculture sector and its supply chain to deliver productivity, profitability and environmental benefits.

  • The opportunity to develop more efficient and climate resilient buildings and infrastructure will reduce running costs and avoid expensive reconstruction in the long term.

  • The Queensland tourism industry has the opportunity to demonstrate best practice sustainability and build on Queensland’s reputation as a first-class tourism destination.

  • First Nations communities have a deep and enduring relationship with—and connection and responsibility to—land, sea and sky; a connection that is impacted by climate change.