The Queensland government has unveiled a $26 billion Energy Roadmap designed to deliver affordable, reliable and sustainable power while reducing system costs for Queenslanders over the next decade.
The plan aims to optimise the state’s existing coal, gas and electricity infrastructure, while encouraging private sector investment in renewables and firming technologies to meet future demand.
Treasurer and Minister for Energy David Janetzki said the Energy Roadmap was grounded in “economics and engineering, not ideology” and represented a decisive shift away from the approach taken under the previous Labor administration.
“Our Energy Roadmap delivers what Queenslanders need, which is affordable and reliable energy that enhances their quality of life, fuels economic growth, and ensures long-term sustainability, all while ensuring our state is an attractive destination for private sector capital and creating jobs,” Janetzki said.
“Labor’s energy plan lacked credibility, was undeliverable and would have resulted in Queensland households paying thousands more on top of their energy bills.”
According to the government, the new plan will save taxpayers $26 billion in energy system costs by 2035, compared with Labor’s timeline for the early closure of coal-fired generation. This equates to avoiding an extra $1035 a year on the average household bill.
The roadmap outlines significant investments in both existing assets and new infrastructure.
Key measures include a $400 million Queensland Energy Investment Fund and QIC’s new Investor Gateway to attract capital for renewable and firming projects; a $1.6 billion Electricity Maintenance Guarantee to strengthen current power assets; and a tender for 400MW of new gas-fired generation in Central Queensland.
There will also be consolidated oversight of pumped hydro proposals through QIC to ensure a consistent investment and assessment framework, construction of the Eastern Link of the CopperString transmission line in North Queensland with work beginning on the Western Link, and the establishment of Regional Energy Hubs aimed at reducing development costs.
Community-focused initiatives feature in the plan, with a $10 million investment in neighbourhood-scale batteries to better store solar energy and manage minimum system load, as well as a new code of conduct for renewable energy developers to set clear community expectations.
He confirmed the previous policy to close coal units by 2035 regardless of their operational condition was “officially abolished”.
Janetzki said Queensland’s coal-fired power stations, the youngest in Australia, would remain in operation for as long as system needs and market conditions supported them.
He said the approach was an economically driven solution aimed at keeping energy costs down for households, businesses and industry, while giving developers certainty to progress future projects.
He added that the plan was creating the conditions for private investment in new energy infrastructure, driving economic growth and maintaining the state’s competitiveness in a changing energy market.
The Energy Roadmap has been developed following extensive consultation with industry, investors and key stakeholders, backed by detailed electricity modelling to ensure it meets the state’s long-term needs.
