Sunshine to savings: remote Queensland communities to save big with solar

• The Palaszczuk Government’s 2023-24 Budget is delivering $28 million to take Boulia, Burketown, Doomadgee and Windorah off expensive fossil-fuelled power.
• These projects will see solar generation and battery storage systems contributing renewable energy to the generation mix of the four power stations, supporting the reduction of diesel usage.
• The projects will also create direct and indirect jobs in these communities, as part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

Four remote Queensland communities are set to save $3 million per year by cutting 1.5 million litres of diesel and switching to using renewables such as solar and battery storage.

Announced at the Palaszczuk Government’s Regional Community Forum in Boulia today, the projects will also deliver significant environmental benefits from reduced emissions.

The four projects, delivered under the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, are a concrete demonstration of the benefits of the transition to clean energy, and proof of the direct investments being made in some the state’s most remote areas.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Transport and Main Road, Mark Bailey:

“While these new solar farms might be small in size comparative to the Queensland SuperGrid, the benefit of them to these remote communities is incredibly valuable.

“This program is proof that the Palaszczuk Government’s Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is delivering opportunities and benefits of our clean energy transition to all Queenslanders, no matter where they live.

“This is great for the environment too, getting these isolated networks off millions of litres of diesel will help us to reduce electricity emissions by 96% by 2040.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, Mick de Brenni:

“The beauty of outback Queensland may be a world away from global events like the illegal war in Ukraine, but we cannot underestimate how much global price rises on fossil fuels are impacting them.

“Because Queenslanders kept their energy system in public hands, they can put the people of these remote communities first in our energy and climate transition, savings millions by switching to solar.

“By supporting more renewable energy and decreasing the reliance on diesel generation for these isolated communities, the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is delivering clean, cheap, and secure energy for all Queenslanders.

Quotes attributable to Energy Queensland’s Acting Chief Engineer Jason Hall:

“Ergon Energy Network’s isolated networks are 34 isolated networks across 39 communities, where Ergon Energy provides both the generation and distribution network services in a type of micro-grid.

“Queensland’s isolated networks are mostly powered by dedicated diesel power stations, with some generation coming from a combination of customer-owned rooftop solar PV, and centralised renewable energy installations owned and operated by Ergon Energy Network.

“These projects will not only create direct and indirect contractor and supplier jobs in these communities, but they will also create massive savings for these isolated communities.”

Further information on each project:

• Doomadgee: Ergon Energy Network is planning to install 4.5MW of solar PV and 4MWh of energy storage, which is forecast to save around 680,000 litres of diesel and $1.36 million per year
• Windorah: Ergon Energy Network is planning to install 850kW of solar PV and 1,000kWh of energy storage, which will save 150,000 litres of diesel and $300,000 each year.
• Burketown: Ergon Energy Network is planning to install 1,200kW of solar PV and 1,000kWh of energy storage, which has a forecast saving of 270,000 litres of diesel and $540,000 per year.
• Boulia: Ergon Energy Network is planning to install 1,700kW of solar PV and 1,500kWh of energy storage, with a forecast saving of 360,000 litres of diesel and $720,000 each year.

ENDS

Media contacts

de Brenni: Andrew Churchill | 0457 600 237

Bailey: Lesley Major | 0419 288 284