Queensland’s next wave of renewable energy and regional jobs is about to be unleashed with 10 projects competing for contracts to kick start new regional investments and a new clean energy generator.
Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said Queensland’s third publicly-owned electricity generator, CleanCo, would commence trading in the national electricity market on 31 October, and encourage up to 400 megawatts of new generation and storage.
CleanCo is working with 10 short-listed renewable energy proponents to boost its starting pack, which includes the Wivenhoe and Swanbank E power stations near Ipswich and three Far North Queensland hydro power stations.
“This will increase competition and supply in the Queensland electricity market, putting more downward pressure on electricity prices for Queenslanders,” Dr Lynham said.
“Preliminary analysis indicates CleanCo should reduce wholesale electricity prices on average by around $7 per megawatt hour, which is expected to translate to an estimated $70 per annum saving for the average Queensland household
“There’ll be more new jobs building these projects in regional Queensland and the extra generation will also make our power supply even more reliable.
“This takes Queensland one step closer to our target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
“Unfortunately, the LNP has refused to support this program.
“Going by their track-record in government, when not one large scale renewable energy project was built, there’s no doubt they’ll see CleanCo as another Queensland-owned energy asset to sell.”
From 31 October, CleanCo will take over the 570 megawatt Wivenhoe pumped storage hydro station, the 385 MW gas-fired Swanbank E power station and the Kareeya, Barron Gorge and Koombooloomba hydro power stations from the state’s other publicly-owned generators, Stanwell and CS Energy.
CleanCo will also complete the Government’s Renewables 400 reverse auction, bringing up to another 400 megawatts of solar and wind energy and battery storage into the market.
CleanCo will seek binding bids from 10 proponents to supply renewable energy (See below) and recommend projects to government early next year.
Proponent | Project | Location | Capacity (MW) | Capital cost ($ mill) | Jobs | |
Projects may have put forward proposals for partial support and capex and jobs figures are estimated in some cases. | ||||||
ACCIONA Australia | MacIntyre Wind Farm at | Stanthorpe | 540 | >1000 | 1080 | |
Edify Energy | Majors Creek Solar Farm, with battery storage | Woodstock | 200 | 400 | 400 | |
First Solar Australia | Chinchilla Solar Farm, with battery storage | Chinchilla | 100 | 200 | 150 | |
Goldwind Australia | Clarke Creek Wind Farm, with battery storage | Between Mackay and Rockhampton | 800 | 1500 | 350 | |
Infigen Energy | Forsayth Integrated Facility, with battery storage | Forsayth, FNQ | 65 | 130 | 130 | |
Lyon Infrastructure Investment | Cape York Solar Storage | Lakeland, FNQ | 55 | 150 | 100 | |
Neoen Australia | Kaban Green Power Hub, with battery storage | Ravenshoe FNQ | 130 | 300 | 150 | |
Pacific Hydro Australia Developments | Haughton Solar Farm, with battery storage | Upper Haughton near Townsville | 100 | 200 | 240 | |
Vena Energy (formerly Equis) | Collinsville North Solar and storage project | Collinsville | 100 | 200 | 200 | |
Windlab | Lakeland Wind Farm | Lakeland, FNQ | 100 | 200 | 200 | |
BACKGROUND
Renewables 400 is a reverse auction program which enables CleanCo to identify the best projects to increase the state’s diversified renewable energy supply.
Reverse auctions are competitive processes where multiple projects bid to secure power purchase contracts or other forms of project support.
Reverse auctions have been used by governments around Australia and internationally, including by the ACT and Victorian Governments as part of achieving their renewable energy targets.
