The Southern Downs region is set to be part of the 12 areas the Queensland government have allocated to become renewable energy zones.
The zones will be used to deliver large-scale wind, solar, pumped hydro and green hydrogen projects.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm Precinct, south-west of Warwick, will connect the Southern Downs.
Due to be completed next year, it will be ACCIONA Energia’s biggest renewable energy facility and one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.
Developed in partnership with CleanCo, the Queensland Government’s newest renewable energy generator, the state government has guaranteed $19 billion to carry out renewable sources, with a commitment to reach 70 per cent renewable energy by 2032.
The MacIntyre Wind Farm is constructed on land predominately used for sheep farming. While farming practices are still being carried out at the site, Federal Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud is questioning if this will cost agriculture.
The concerns he is hearing are not only about solar panel or wind farms using prime agriculture but also the transmission lines and towers connecting the project.
MP Littleproud called on the Prime Minister to hold a National Energy Summit which was rejected. He expressed the need for a Senate inquiry, “otherwise regional Australia will foot the bill again.”
A draft road map, which identifies the 12 potential renewable energy zones to be developed and connected to the Queensland grid in three phases by 2035 is available on the Queensland government website.
This road map is open for public consultation with questions to consider until September 2023.
The proposed 12 zones are split into three regions, with five in southern Queensland, four in central Queensland and three in the state’s north.
Queensland’s Local Government Association chief executive Alison Smith said communities must benefit from the plan.
“That means locking in social licence with up-front, detailed guarantees of improved liveability in these areas,“ she said.
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the plan would deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy.
“While rebates from retaining public ownership are the quickest and most effective way to take immediate action on cost-of-living relief, we know that renewables are the cheapest form of new energy generation,“ he said.
“Only when renewables dominate the market will we see wholesale electricity prices come down permanently, so this road map is crucial to taking real action on easing the cost of living.“
Visit epw.qld.gov.au/about/initiatives/renewable-energy-zones/rez-roadmap for more information and the road map. Also, see David Littleproud’s column for more on his opinion.
