The Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC) has welcomed the Queensland Competition Authority’s (QCA) draft determination on regulated electricity prices, highlighting clear evidence that renewable energy is helping drive down power costs for households and businesses across the state.
QREC Chief Executive Officer Katie-Anne Mulder said the draft determination follows the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) draft Default Market Offer, which similarly found renewable energy is contributing to lower power prices for Queensland homes and workplaces.
The QCA found that, “More broadly, all customers benefited from lower energy costs this year due to higher availability of Queensland coal generators, lower gas prices and increased renewable generation.”
Under the draft determination, when implemented, regional electricity costs are set to fall by 9.7 per cent for households and 11.3 per cent for small businesses.
“This is a clear and authoritative statement from the QCA — increased renewable generation is lowering electricity costs for Queenslanders, in both city and regional communities,” Ms Mulder said.
“This is not theoretical modelling — it reflects the impact of projects already built and operating in Queensland today.”
Ms Mulder said the key takeaway from both the QCA and AER determinations is that price reductions are being driven by renewable energy already in the system — including large-scale wind and solar, as well as rooftop solar and batteries.
“These outcomes show that when renewable projects are built, connected and operating, they reduce wholesale prices and flow through to lower bills,” she said.
QREC said the findings reinforce the need for clear and consistent policy settings to support further investment under the Queensland Energy Roadmap.
“If Queensland wants to continue delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity, the pathway is clear — we must keep building renewable energy,” she said.
“With coal-fired generation set to retire at the end of its technical life, the Energy Roadmap — and the broader Queensland Government — must provide clear investment signals, enabling transmission and infrastructure, streamlined approvals, and a stable policy framework.”
QREC said the combined findings provide strong evidence that renewable energy is central to managing cost-of-living pressures.
“The more renewable energy Queensland brings online, the more downward pressure we will see on power prices for homes, farms and businesses.”