Huge increase in Queensland's uptake of solar and storage needed: AEMO

A recent report by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) shows Queensland's world-leading uptake of rooftop solar is expected to continue to soar to 2030 and beyond.

Under the most likely scenario modelled in the report, AEMO expects Queensland's rooftop solar to grow by 50% and distributed storage to grow by a staggering 500% by 2030.

Rural Queenslanders are currently the state's leading solar supporters, with Energy Minister David Janetzki's own electorate of Toowoomba being among the top three biggest solar hotspots in Queensland, generating as much energy as a solar farm from their rooftop solar.

Queensland's current top 10 solar postcodes

According to the Queensland Conservation Council, the new Queensland Government should take note of AEMO’s findings and announce policies to help all Queenslanders cash in on the solar and household battery savings – including renters and social housing tenants.

Queensland Conservation Council campaigner and energy expert Stephanie Gray said

AEMO’s latest report highlights the huge opportunity there is for Queenslanders to lead our state’s energy transformation by generating and storing their own power.

More locally-generated clean energy is good news for our power bills and environment, and it gives Queenslanders the opportunity to take the power back from big energy corporations.

But right now renters and social housing tenants face barriers to accessing the full benefits of clean technology, and many home owners can’t afford the upfront cost of battery storage.

To ensure Queenslanders have affordable and reliable energy, we’re calling on the new State Government to commit to the state’s legislated Renewable Energy Targets and deliver an energy plan that includes new policies to help Queenslanders repower their homes.

We welcomed the Queensland LNP’s pre-election announcement of the Supercharged Solar for Renters scheme. We’d like to see this program implemented as soon as possible alongside other schemes to help more Queenslanders access battery storage.

Queenslanders demonstrated their appetite for batteries by oversubscribing Queensland’s home battery rebate scheme, the Battery Booster program. That program, which offered rebates of between $3,000-$4,000, could easily be extended.

Our summers are becoming nerve-racking because the country’s ageing coal-fired power stations are increasingly unreliable, especially in the heat, and their rolling breakdowns risk grid reliability.

Queensland has the opportunity now to get on the front foot and make sure we’re building and installing enough renewable energy and storage to replace our coal clunkers.

The Queensland Conservation Council is a member of the Power Together coalition, alongside groups such as QCOSS and the Queensland Community Alliance. Power Together calls for more targeted support to help all Queenslanders access affordable renewable energy and household energy efficiency upgrades.

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