Record renewable energy drives prices and emissions down in 2025

Queensland Conservation Council analysis has found that 2025 saw the lowest fossil fuel electricity generation in more than two decades in Queensland (PDF 259k), with increased renewable energy delivering electricity price relief and emissions savings.

In 2025, nearly 4.5 GW of renewable energy and storage was connected to Queensland’s electricity grid, causing renewable energy generation to jump 10% to make up more than 33% of Queensland’s electricity supply.

This pushed coal and gas generation to their lowest levels since 2001, driving emissions below levels at the turn of the century, despite increased demand, and delivering the lowest prices since 2020.

While renewable energy growth will continue in 2026, the Queensland LNP’s moves to repeal renewable energy targets and make it harder for renewable energy projects to proceed, while encouraging more gas development, means that the price and pollution relief could be short lived.

Queensland Conservation Council campaigner Clare Silcock said

It’s not a coincidence that the lowest fossil fuel generation in more than two decades has brought wholesale electricity prices down. High gas prices and increasingly unreliable coal fired power stations have sent prices through the roof in the past four years. We’re now seeing the relief brought about by more investment in renewable energy.

In 2025, more than a third of energy generated in Queensland was renewable. With more than 4.5 GW of renewable energy connected, and more projects in construction, this figure will continue to grow in 2026.

More wind, solar and batteries means that we can reduce our reliance on expensive, polluting and unreliable coal and gas fired power stations. That is good for our hip pockets and our climate.

However, it can take a while for lower wholesale prices to flow through to consumers, as retailers may have signed contracts at previously high prices, or not pass through savings for a number of other reasons.

It’s concerning that the Queensland LNP is steering us off course to bring prices under control in the long term, through ideological attacks on renewable energy, and continued propping up of the gas industry.

Renewable energy investment has fallen off a cliff in the first year of the Crisafulli Government and this is very concerning for power prices next year and beyond. If we have to rely more on gas and increasingly unreliable coal, prices will only go up.

Our analysis found that Queensland’s coal fired power stations broke down more than 130 times in the year to October 2025. Coal is not up to the job of providing stable electricity into the future. Gas companies have been profiting off Queenslanders for more than a decade, and opening up more gas fields and power stations won’t change that.

What we need is well planned renewable energy that delivers for nature and communities, as well as every Queenslander’s power bills and the climate.

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