The Queensland renewable energy sector has urged a Parliamentary Committee to recommend improvements to proposed legislation for the State’s new Energy Roadmap, including retaining legislated renewable energy targets.
The Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC) has recommended, in its appearance before the bipartisan Governance, Energy and Finance Committee, that the legislated renewable energy targets of 50% by 2030, 70% by 2032 and 80% by 2035 be retained. The Energy Roadmap Amendment Bill 2025 seeks to remove those targets.
The Government’s Energy Roadmap released on 10 October projects up to 6.8GW of additional wind and solar operational by 2030, with a further 4.4GW by 2035.
However, QREC’s Renewables Growth and Investment Strategy shows almost 8GW of committed generation and storage projects, valued at over $10.7 billion, with a broader pipeline exceeding 140GW — the largest in Australia, indicating strong investor interest.
QREC’s Chief Executive, Katie-Anne Mulder said, “Significantly, the Energy Roadmap signals the end of publicly-owned coal-fired generation and it doesn’t promise any new coal-fired generation. It also provides for additional gas-fired generation.”
“The Energy Roadmap depends upon large-scale renewable energy. The Roadmap and its legislation need to send the strongest possible signals to developers, investors and suppliers in renewable energy to ensure Queenslanders have access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity,” Ms Mulder said.
QREC also recommends:
– amending the project call-in powers under the Planning Act 2016 (Planning Act) so that they are expanded to the Energy Minister and used where projects are deemed critical to the State’s overall energy Roadmap;
– strengthening consultation processes and governance arrangements to ensure the Energy Roadmap is implemented transparently and collaboratively; and
– embedding climate change as a central consideration in the operating timeframes for state owned generation assets.