Huge investment in renewable energy future is a win for Qlders

10 June, 2021: Queensland Conservation Council strongly welcomes the Queensland Government’s announcement today of $2bn for storage to support renewable energy in the state. “This is a great step towards a clean energy system that supports Queenslanders and Queensland jobs” said QCC Director, Dave Copeman. 

“This announcement will be money in the pocket for Queenslanders over the coming decade. This public investment in storage will make more cheap, clean renewable energy generation possible. It will make the grid more secure, and help smooth out the evening peak in wholesale electricity prices. 

“The Palaszczuk Government has already steered Queensland through a period of rapid growth in renewable energy. In 2020, renewable energy, including rooftop solar, supplied around 20% of Queensland’s demand”. 

“We still have a long way to go until we reach the Queensland Renewable Energy Target of 50% by 2030. More importantly, we have a long way to go to reduce Queensland’s emissions as quickly as we need to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. 

Storage is a key way to allow more renewable energy to enter the grid. It can also help stabilise our current grid, whose vulnerability was exposed by the explosion at Callide C4. Energy Minister, Mick de Brenni, promised a “big battery blitz” following the incident. Today’s announcement is a great sign that the Queensland Government is putting its money where its mouth is and investing in the renewable energy future. 

While the Qld Government has outplayed themselves today, the New South Welshman Energy Minister Angus Taylor has had a shocker. Today, his Kurri Kurri gas plant has been exposed by an independent assessment that it’s not needed and won’t reduce prices. 

And on Tuesday he announced he would waste taxpayers money on the lost bet of Carbon Capture and Storage, with another trial at Millmerran Power Station. The Federal Government is obsessed with supporting privately owned fossil fuel companies, holding back emissions reductions and the renewable energy transition. 

Storage provides dispatchable, firm energy which can be used in place of dirty coal generation. We hope that the Queensland Government recognises the opportunities to reduce emissions through closing coal power stations as well as building renewable energy.