Renewable energy and jobs in Queenslandcd August 2020 Renewable energy and jobs in Front cover. Haughton Solar Farm. Photo. Ross Budd.

Key findings

The renewable energy boom is well underway in Delivered as part of a 15-year program, these Queensland, with current renewable projects on proposals could help achieve self-sufficiency track to provide more than one-third of the state’s in renewables and build an industry exporting power consumption by 2025. renewable energy (for example via hydrogen, green steel or aluminium production), helping Queensland This report details how projects contracted and to provide permanent full-time employment for committed to over the last five years will produce around 5,200 people in constructing these projects. more than 10,000 GWh of Queensland’s electricity It would also create employment for another 4,100 needs — equivalent to the annual consumption of people in operating and maintaining the facilities. more than 2 million Queensland households. Yet, as other Australian states invest in renewable The majority of these contracted projects are energy, Queensland could face significant in the South-West and northern regions of the competition for private sector investment dollars. state, leaving , specifically the To realise its potential as a renewable powerhouse, , slated as the next growth area for Queensland needs stronger political will, better renewable energy projects. Four significant solar planning and policies to rejuvenate its energy farms are proposed within the Gladstone Council system and phase out polluting energy. region. These are expected to produce almost 1,000 MW, which is equivalent to the consumption of With investment in high-quality transmission 380,000 Queensland households. infrastructure, a supportive government policy that recognises the importance of tackling the threat of This report also highlights the great potential a changing climate, and a skilled and enthusiastic Queensland harbours for further renewable energy workforce, Queensland could be a national leader in growth and jobs. renewable energy projects. If all proposed projects were pursued across the state, the renewables boom could open up more than 78,000 job-years of construction employment for a diversely skilled population — including engineers, finance professionals, truck drivers, electricians, mechanics, welders and labourers — and add 65,000 GWh in power to the grid, which is greater than all the power generated by coal and gas combined in Queensland.

The reneweable energy boom is well underway in QLD d Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Contents

Key findings...... 2

Renewable projects on track...... 4

Projects contracted over the last 5 years ...... 6

Potential construction jobs boom ...... 9

Local case study: Gladstone & central QLD ...... 14

Need for policy and skill development ...... 17

Appendix ...... 18

This report was produced with the analytical assistance of Green Energy Markets and draws upon employment survey research prepared by the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. Green Energy Markets specialise in economic analysis of renewable energy, energy efficiency and other carbon abatement solutions and associated markets.

3 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Renewable projects on track to deliver one-third of Queensland’s power

Over just five years, Queensland has Between 2000 and 2010, renewables made up less experienced a transformation in the scale than 4% of Queenslanders’ power consumption and cost of renewable energy. and barely grew. Then, from 2010, Queensland householders began enthusiastically adopting solar Previously, renewable energy was such a small systems for their rooftops. This growth further part of the power supply that many ignored accelerated from 2016 as large-scale solar and wind it. Yet substantial advancements in technology farms were committed to construction. Now, in over the last 20 years have allowed us to extract 2020, renewables make up slightly more than 20% substantially more energy from the wind and sun of power consumption. at vastly lower costs. Renewables will continue to expand after 2020 By 2016, these technologies — in conjunction to reach over a third of Queensland power with clear government policy and rapidly rising consumption by 2025. Much of this growth will be costs — led to a massive expansion of due to just two very large projects - the Macintyre renewable . Wind Farm and the Western Downs Solar Farm - Figure 1.1 illustrates renewable energy power- as well as households and businesses added solar generation levels and share of Queensland power systems to their rooftops. consumption from 2005 to 2025, based on projects in construction or contracted.

Figure 1.1 Queensland renewable energy power generation and share of consumption

25,000,000 35.5% Renewables share 20,000,000

15,000,000 20.3% Gigawatt-hours 10,000,000

7.2% 5,000,000 3.2% 3.9%

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Bioenergy Rooftop solar Source: Green Energy Markets Power Project Database Hydro Wind and Australian Energy Market Operator’s projections of Large solar CleanCo extra contracts Queensland electricity consumption.

4 If all proposed renewables projects were pursued across the state, they could add 65,000 GWh in power to the grid, which is greater than all the power generated by coal and gas combined in Queensland 5 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland Previous page. Haughton Solar Farm. Photo. Unknown.

Projects contracted over the last five years will generate 12,000 job-years of construction jobs

The map in Figure 2.1 illustrates the This is followed by the north-east region which construction employment that will be includes , Mackay and Charters Towers. generated by utility scale renewable energy So far, all renewable energy projects in this region projects committed to or contracted since have been in solar. 2015. In contrast, the Central and Burnett-Wide Bay The and South-West Queensland have lagged behind other has so far been the leader in capturing renewable regions in renewable energy construction projects. energy construction projects, with 6,313 job- Yet this is not for lack of potential, as explained in years of construction employment.1 Two-thirds the next section of this report. of this have been tied to two major wind farm In terms of ongoing permanent employment, all projects — the 453 MW Coopers Gap and the 1026 projects committed to or contracted in the last five MW Macintyre projects. The Macintyre project years are expected to support close to 700 full-time was recently underpinned by a power purchase jobs in operations and maintenance. agreement with the ’s Table 2.2 shows that these projects will produce CleanCo. more than 10,000 GWh of Queensland’s electricity Far is the next biggest hot spot, needs, equivalent to the annual consumption of recently boosted by the Kidston Pumped Hydro over 2 million Queensland households. project securing an offtake agreement with Energy Australia and a commitment from the Queensland Government to build new transmission infrastructure.

Table 2.2 Annual power production from renewable energy projects committed or contracted since 2015.

Region Power No. of produced (GWh) households powered Far North 1,005 191,800 North-East 2,062 393,496 Darling Downs South West 6,907 1,318,217 Central 456 87,082 Wide-Bay & Burnett 283 54,093 South-East 36 6,871 Total 10,750 2,051,559

Source: Green Energy Markets Power Project Database for power production. Average Queensland household electricity consumption provided by Australian Energy 1. A job-year is a measure of the labour required to develop and Market Commission’s Residential Electricity Price construct a project and represents a single person employed full Trends 2019. time over a year.

6 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Figure 2.1 Construction employment created by renewable energy projects committed or contracted over last five years.

Far North jobs: 2,697 Bioenergy: 48 Hydro: 1,800 Solar: 214 Wind: 635

Far North

North West North jobs: 2,216 Solar: 2,216 North

Central Central jobs: 463 Solar: 463 Wide Bay Burnett jobs: 299 Solar: 299 Darling Downs South West

Darling Downs & SW jobs: 6,313 Solar: 2112 South East jobs: 48 Wind: 4,200 Solar: 48

Source: Green Energy Markets analysis with employment factors derived from University of Technology Sydney Institute for Sustainable Futures (2020) Renewable Energy Employment in Australia: Methodology – June 2020.

7 Queensland renewable energy projects committed or contracted since 2015.

Project status Contracted • Under construction •• Operating ••• FAR NORTH & NORTH WEST CENTRAL 1 Lakeland Solar & Storage: 10.8MW ••• 21 : 68MW ••• 2 Kidston Pumped Hydro Storage 22 Lilyvale Solar Farm: 100MW ••• Project: 250MW • 23 Barcaldine Solar Farm: 20MW ••• 3 Kidston Solar One: 50MW ••• 24 Longreach Solar Farm: 15MW ••• 4 Hughenden Solar Farm: 18MW ••• 5 : 15MW •• DARLING DOWNS ochart & SOUTH WEST Rier 6 Kennedy Energy Park: 43.2MW •• 7 Mount Emerald 25 MacIntyre CleanCo Wind Farm: 180.45MW ••• Wind Farm : 103MW • 8 Tableland Mill upgrade: 24MW •• 26 MacIntyre Wind Farm: 923MW • 27 Warwick Solar Farm: 64MW •• NORTH EAST 28 Oakey 1 Solar Farm: 25MW ••• 9 Clare Solar Farm: 100MW ••• 29 Yarranlea solar QLD: 100MW ••• 10 Haughton Solar Farm: 100MW ••• 30 Maryrorough Solar Farm: 34MW •• 11 Clermont Solar Farm: 75MW ••• 31 Oakey 2 Solar Farm: 55MW •• 12 Rugby Run Solar Farm: 65MW ••• 32 Western Downs Solar Farm: 400MW • 13 Middlemount Solar Farm: 34MW 1 •• 33 Baking Board solar farm: 19.9MW ••• 14 Ross River Solar Farm: 116MW ••• 34 : 108.5MW ••• 15 Sun Metals: 124.4MW ••• 35 : 453MW •• airns 16 : 150MW ••• 36 Gangarri Solar Farm: 120MW •• 7 8 17 Hamilton Solar Farm: 57.5MW ••• WIDE BAY 18 Hayman Solar Farm: 50MW ••• Far North 19 Collinsville Solar Farm: 42.5MW ••• 37 Childers Solar Farm: 56MW ••• 20 Whitsunday Solar Farm: 57.5MW ••• 38 Susan River Solar Farm: 75MW ••• SOUTH EAST 2 3 39 Airport Solar System: 6MW ••• ownsille 40 Sunshine Coast Solar Farm: 15MW ••• 15 14 10 9

North 16 17 Key 4 West North East 18 19 5 6 Solar 20 acay Wind

Biomass 12 Pumped hydro

Hydro power 11 13 22 Rochapton 24 23 21 Central undaberg 37

Wide Bay 38 Burnett aryborough

36 33 40 Darling 32 35 Downs & 34 R 28 South West 31 39 29 30 South East 25 26 27

8 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

A possible 78,000 job-years of construction employment and more power than coal and gas

While the scale of renewable energy project The map in Figure 3.2 illustrates where projects construction activity over the past five years proposed for North-East Queensland have the has delivered substantial employment and potential to create the greatest employment, additional power, it is just a glimpse of the involving a mix of hydro, solar, wind and a small potential Queensland possesses. amount of bioenergy. The Darling Downs South- West region comes in second and the Central Project sites identified by developers and in region — which includes Gladstone, , planning could provide more than 78,000 job- Emerald and Barcaldine — is third. years of construction employment if they were all to proceed. There would also be a further The scale of power these proposed projects could 4,100 ongoing full-time jobs in operations and deliver is substantial. Figure 3.1 details the amount maintenance. of power generated by renewable projects already in operation or in construction on the far left. This shows renewables is already on track to be a more significant supplier of power to Queenslanders than gas. Yet new proposed projects now being pursued would add around another 65,000 GWh. Figure 3.1 Power generation from Queensland This is greater than all the power generated by coal operational, committed and proposed renewable and gas combined in Queensland. energy projects compared to coal and gas (GWh).

80,000 Far North 70,000 North-East Darling Downs South West Central 60,000 Wide-Bay & Burnett 50,000 South-East Roof-top Solar 40,000 North-West Fossil Fuel 30,000

20,000

10,000

Renewables Renewables Coal Gas Committed/ Proposed (5 year ave) (5 year ave) Contracted

Source: Coal and gas power generation provided by Australian Energy Market Operator, power generation of renewables based on Green Energy Markets’ Power Plant Database.

9 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Figure 3.2 Potential future construction employment from renewable energy projects not yet committed.

Far North jobs: 7,428 Bioenergy: 64 Solar: 3,516 Wind: 3,848

Far North

North East jobs: 28,505 Solar: 10,581 Wind: 6,589 North West jobs: 559 North Bioenergy: 32 Solar: 559 Hydro: 11,304

Central Central jobs: 13,579 Wide Bay Burnett Solar: 8,878 jobs: 6,953 Wind: 4,700 Solar: 3,364 Wind: 3,590

Darling Downs South West

Darling Downs & SW jobs: 15,179 Solar: 12,670 South East jobs: 5,948 Wind: 2,509 Solar: 5,848 Bioenergy: 100

Source: Green Energy Markets analysis with employment factors derived from University of Technology Sydney Institute for Sustainable Futures (2020) Renewable Energy Employment in Australia: Methodology – June 2020

10 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Development pipeline for renewable energy projects proposed for Queensland (North QLD)

FAR NORTH & NORTH WEST NORTH EAST 1 South Johnstone Mill 16 Burdekin Solar Farm (Cleangen): 140MW (expansion): 32MW 17 Clare Solar Farm 2: 45MW 2 Cape York solar Farm: 55MW 18 Haughton Solar Farm Stage 2: 400MW 3 Lakeland solar farm stage 2: 17MW 19 Koberinga Solar Farm: 55MW 4 Forsayth Wind Farm (previously Qld 20 Majors Creek (Woodstock): 200MW Wind): 65MW 21 Burdekin Hydro Power Station: 50MW 5 Kennedy Energy Park Stage 2 & 3- Wind: 650MW 22 Mount Leyshon pumped hydro: 20MW 6 Kidston Wind Farm: 150MW 23 Pentland Bioenergy project: 16MW 7 Stage 2 Kidston Pumped Storage 24 Blair Athol Solar Farm: 60MW Hydro and Integrated Solar PV 25 Broadlea Solar Farm: 100MW Project: 270MW 26 Broadsound Solar Farm: 392MW 8 Chewko Solar Farm: 75MW apranu 27 Clarke Creek Solar Farm-Pac Hydro: 9 Desailly Renewable Energy Park: 315MW 15 ochart 1000MW Rier 28 Clarke Creek Wind-Solar Lacour Energy: 10 Mareeba Solar Farm: 60MW 400MW 11 Atherton: 60MW 29 Clarke Creek Wind-Solar Lacour Energy: 12 Chalumbin Wind Farm: 300MW 800MW 13 High Road Wind Farm: 60MW 30 Coppabella Wind Farm (QLD): 70MW 14 Kaban Green Power Hub: 130MW 31 Dyno Nobel renewable hydrogen: 210MW 15 Weipa Solar Farm Stage 2: 5MW 32 Dysart 2 Solar Farm: 130MW 52 : 30MW 33 Dysart solar farm: 100MW 53 Gregory Solar Farm: 215MW 34 Fiery Creek Wind Farm: 70MW 35 Lotus Creek Wind Farm: 250MW 36 Nebo Solar Farm: 80MW 37 North Creek Wind Project: 330MW 38 Rugby Run Stage 2: 105MW 2 3 39 Glenella Solar Farm: 30MW 40 Mirani Solar Farm: 60MW ornington 9 41 Paget Solar Farm: 20.6MW sland 42 Urannah Renewable Energy Hub: airns 1500MW 43 Urannah Renewable Energy Hub: 8 10 Far North 1300MW 11 44 Urannah Renewable Energy Hub: 14 1 800MW 12 13 45 Bluewater Solar farm: 102MW 46 Rollingstone Solar Farm: 110MW 47 Yabulu Solar Farm: 40MW 52 52 6 7 4 48 Collinsville North Solar: 100MW 49 Collinsville Solar Stage 2: 36MW 46 50 Gumlu Solar Farm: 60MW 45 ownsille 51 Kelsey Creek Solar Farm (North 47 Queensland): 50MW 20 18 19 16 17 50 21 22 Key 51 ount sa 23 48 49 Solar 53 North 5 Wind West North East 42 39 43 40 acay Biomass 44 41 Pumped hydro 34 Hydro power 36 25 31 30 37 38 35 32 33 26 27 24 28 29

11 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Development pipeline for renewable energy projects proposed for Queensland (South QLD)

Key

Solar

65 68 Wind Rochapton Biomass 73 Pumped hydro 75 62 64 63 66 74 71 Central 69 70 Hydro power 59 55 56 60 72 67 58 54 57 108 105undaberg 104 107 109 61 106 Wide Bay 110 111 Burnett

115112 aryborough 113 114 herbourg 101 116 117 118 Darling 91 77 82 87 Downs & SW 102 88 119 120 South 93 100 84 96 86 92 97 121 94 East 95 103 85 99 126 98 83 125 89 90 127 R 81 123 124 122 79 80

76 78

CENTRAL DARLING DOWNS & SW WIDE BAY BURNETT 54 Banana Range Wind Farm: 180MW 76 Gunsynd Solar Farm: 100MW 104 Bucca Solar Farm: 108.8MW 55 Baralaba Solar Farm: 100MW 77 Yuleba North Solar Farm: 310MW 105 Biohub 56 Central Queensland Power Project-Solar: 78 Rabbit Ridge: - Dalveen: 13.6MW 106 Bundaberg Bullyard Solar Farm-EIWA: 1000MW 79 Bulli Creek Solar Farm Stage 1: 600MW 93MW 57 Central Queensland Power Project-Wind: 80 Bulli Creek Solar Farm Stage 2: 600MW 107 Bundaberg Solar Farm: 58MW 1000MW 81 Charlton Solar Farm: 10MW 108 Gooburrum Solar Farm: 4MW 58 Moura Solar Farm: 110MW 82 Barunggam Solar Farm: 140MW 109 Innes Park: 25MW 59 Smoky Creek Solar Farm: 450MW 83 Beelbee Solar Farm (Darling Downs II): 110 Kensington (Branyan/Childers) Solar Farm: 60 Specimen Hill Wind Farm: 275MW 240MW 42MW 61 Theodore Solar Farm: 70MW 84 Bluegrass Solar Farm (Cameby): 148MW 111 Qunaba/Woongarra Solar Farm (Three Chain): 77MW 62 Blackwater Solar Farm: 150MW 85 Brigalow Solar Farm: 130MW 112 Aramara Solar Farm: 130MW 63 Blu Solar Farm: 100MW 86 Chances Plain (Oakdene): 100MW 113 Forest Wind Farm: 1200MW 64 Comet Solar Farm: 235MW 87 Chinchilla -First Solar: 100MW 114 Munna Creek Solar Farm: 120MW 65 Crinum Creek Solar Farm: 100MW 88 Columboola Solar Farm: 310MW 115 Teebar Solar Farm: 52.5MW 66 Dingo Solar farm: 85MW 89 Dalby Solar Farm: 30MW 67 Rolleston Solar Farm: 90MW 116 Lower Wonga Solar Farm/ 90 Dalby Solar Farm (RES): 22MW Regional Energy Hub: 350MW 68 Solar Farm: 96MW Daystar Energy Solar Farm: 91 100MW 117 Woolooga Energy Park: 185MW 69 Aldoga Solar Farm: 250MW Diamondy Wind Far (Wambo): 92 500MW 118 Woolooga Solar Farms: 130MW 70 Gladstone Abattoir Solar Farm: 78MW Dulacca Renewable Energy Project: 93 119 Kingaroy Solar Farm: 40MW 71 Raglan Solar Farm: 350MW 240MW 120 Kingaroy Solar Farm (REP): 60MW 72 Rodds Bay Solar Farm: 300MW 94 Dulacca Solar Farm: 100MW 121 Kingaroy Wind Farm: 64MW 73 Solar Farm: 280MW 95 Edenvale Solar Park: 280MW 74 Razorback Wind Farm: 200MW 96 Everleigh Solar Park: 150MW SOUTH EAST Barcaldine Stage 2: Goomeri Wind Farm: 75 50MW 97 130MW 122 Gold Coast Solar Farm: 5MW Hopeland Solar Farm: 98 28MW 123 Ebenezer Solar Project: 10MW Jimbour East Solar Farm: 99 200MW 124 Swanbank Waste-to-Energy plant: 50MW Miles Solar Farm: 100 409MW 125 Beachmere Solar Farm (Ningi): 50MW Wandoan South Solar Project: 101 1000MW 126 Harlin Solar Farm: 1500MW 102 Warhook Solar Farm: 200MW 127 Wivenhoe Regional Energy Hub - 103 Western Downs Solar Farm: 250MW Bryden (SQ2 WREH): 1000MW

12 Region in focus Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland Previous page. Gladstone Harbour Flyover. Photo. Greens MPs.

Gladstone and central Queensland

Gladstone is one of Australia’s major Raglan Solar Farm is a 350 MW project proposed industrial hubs, hosting Queensland’s by Eco Energy World nearby to the township of largest power station, alumina refineries, Raglan, 50 kms north-west of Gladstone which gas liquefaction plants, a cement kiln and is expected to create 130 jobs on site over its an aluminium smelter, among several other construction period. industries. The fourth solar farm is part of a wider project to establish a major abattoir adjacent to the Gladstone Until now, renewable energy wouldn’t have Port. The 78 MW solar farm would help power registered on the radar screen of employment the abattoir in conjunction with a hydrogen opportunities for the region, but things are production plant and illustrates a growing trend changing. where significant electricity consuming businesses The region largely missed out on the first are turning to renewable energy to provide lower boom in large-scale renewable energy project cost power to run their business. Several abattoirs construction from 2016 to 2019 when investment around the country now have solar power plants flowed mainly to north Queensland and the installed. At a larger scale, Townsville’s Sun Metals Darling Downs. However, Gladstone now has built a 124 MW solar farm in 2017 to help power its an impressive pipeline of proposed projects that, zinc smelter and lower its energy costs. with a supportive market and government policy The potential for renewable energy to help lower conditions, could proceed to construction and industrial manufacturers’ energy costs has also inject significant employment into the region. inspired a far more ambitious proposal in the Four significant solar farms are proposed within wider Central Queensland region by experienced the Gladstone Council region which comprise a renewable energy project developers RES and total of just under 1,000 MW and can be expected Energy Estate. They plan to develop a 2,000 MW to produce power equivalent to the consumption of combination of wind, solar and energy storage 380,000 Queensland households. projects around the Central Queensland region, For over a decade, industrial land at Aldoga, that could collectively deliver reliable, competitive 20 kms north-west of Gladstone, was unused and low emission power to support Gladstone’s after plans for an aluminium smelter at the site heavy industry. If this project were to proceed fell through. Now that land has been slated for it would create over 1,000 local jobs during a 250 MW solar farm that is being pursued by construction. international construction company Acciona. This Further north, another major hybrid renewable project is expected to create 240 construction jobs energy project is proposed for Clarke Creek, onsite. 150 kms north-west of Rockhampton, and being Rodds Bay Solar Farm is a 300 MW project pursued by Goldwind and Lacour Energy. This proposed near the township of , 50 kms project involves an 800 MW wind farm combined south of Gladstone. This project is being pursued with a 200–400 MW solar farm and battery by a specialist renewable energy project developer energy storage. This single project could generate called Renew Estate and the investment firm power greater than the consumption of 600,000 United Green. If it were to proceed it is expected to Queensland households. create 300 jobs on site over its construction period.

14 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

The types of construction jobs created by these Figure 3.3 provides an estimate of the amount of projects are similar to what you would expect employment created by occupation and trade if all from a range of other major construction projects the renewable energy projects currently proposed involving extensive electrical work. Employment in Queensland were to proceed. opportunities are created for a diverse group of occupations with differing levels of experience and education, from engineers and finance professionals to truck drivers, electricians, mechanics, welders and labourers.

Figure 3.3 Employment by occupation and trade from construction of renewable energy projects in development but not yet committed

Telecoms/IT technician

Storepersons & packers

Site supervisors/foreman Hydro

Riggers & dogmen Pumped Hydro

Project/business development & Sales Solar

Other machine operators Wind

Metal trades

Mechanical & civil technicians

Managers

Logistics & procurement

Health, safety, environment officers

Finance, legal, HR, analysts

Electricians

Electrical trade assistants

Electrical engineers

Earthmoving operators

Drivers

Crane & hoist operators

Construction trades

Construction project managers

Construction labourer

Concreting

Clerical/administrative staff

Civil & mechanical engineers

Job years 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000

Source: Green Energy Markets analysis with the distribution of employment by occupation derived from surveys undertaken by University of Technology Sydney and detailed in their publication – Renewable Energy Employment in Australia: Methodology – June 2020

15 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland Below. Victorian wind farm. Photo. Doug Gimesy.

To realise its potential as a renewable powerhouse, Queensland needs stronger political will, better planning and policies to rejuvenate its energy system dc

Previous page. Cyclist and koala in Adelaide Hills . Photo. @bikebug2019 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

The need for new skills, infrastructure and government policy

It is important to recognise that, while these To achieve 50% would require about 3,000 MW proposed projects offer great potential of new wind and solar projects, which would for employment, most will not manage to deliver around 8,000 job-years of construction proceed to construction without better employment. Spaced out over a 10-year planning and policies to rejuvenate the construction period to 2030, this would equate to energy system and phase out polluting around 800 full-time construction jobs. sources of energy. However, the full pipeline of projects currently proposed for Queensland could deliver 78,000 job- To increase the chances of success, regions will years of employment. If this was delivered as part need investment in high-quality transmission of a 15-year program to achieve self-sufficiency infrastructure, supportive government policy that in renewables and build an industry exporting recognises the importance of tackling the threat of renewable energy (for example via hydrogen, a changing climate, and a skilled and enthusiastic green steel or aluminium production), Queensland workforce. would provide permanent full-time employment Other state governments around Australia are for around 5,200 people in constructing these eager to encourage renewable energy investment projects. It would also create employment for in their state, and Queensland faces significant another 4,100 people in operating and maintaining competition for private sector investment dollars. the facilities. Further employment would also come The NSW Government is building substantial new from establishing hydrogen production or metal transmission infrastructure to establish renewable smelting facilities. energy zones in its New England region and the In addition, because solar and wind technology mid-west and south-west of the state, partly with has been improving quite rapidly, there are strong the support of Federal Government funding. incentives to repower these plants after around Victoria is initiating new projects and is building 20 years of operation with new panels or new up local industry through its renewable energy turbines. This would create an ongoing cycle of procurement auctions. It has also been pushing construction activity and employment beyond the for new transmission to the north-west and mid- initial 15-year program outlined here. north, as well as extra battery storage capacity. Such a large program of construction activity South Australia is targeting 100% renewable energy would not be without its challenges. Indeed, and making investments in batteries and a new a number of projects built recently in parts transmission interconnector with NSW to support of northern Queensland have encountered this target. Meanwhile Tasmania has set a goal of problems where the transmission system has been 200% renewable energy meaning it will meet not inadequate to accommodate their full generation just its own electricity needs from renewables but potential. Considerable effort needs to go into also export renewable power to the mainland. To ensuring power system security and reliability can support its goal, it has extracted promises from the be maintained in a system fed by a large amount Federal Government to help underwrite its Battery of wind and solar. Yet Australia’s construction of the Nation transmission and new hydro projects. and engineering capability should be up to such a At present the Queensland Government has a goal challenge. Critical to the success of such a program for the state to get 50% of its power from renewable is our political leaders who must provide industry, energy by 2030. Yet policies announced to date investors and regulators with a clear plan of what will only get the state to a bit under 38% by 2030. we need to achieve and how. Even if further policies are enacted to achieve the 50% target, it will only just scratch the surface of Queensland’s potential.

17 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Appendix A – the basis of employment This research estimates construction employment estimates in this report on the basis of the amount of labour required to develop and construct a megawatt of capacity Employment estimates in this report have largely measured by job-years. A job-year is equal to one relied on detailed survey work undertaken by the person being employed full-time for a single year. Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University These estimates exclude the labour involved in of Technology Sydney in 2019 and 2020. They manufacturing equipment used in constructing surveyed a range of businesses engaged in these power projects and represents employment constructing, developing and operating renewable confined to Australia. A large proportion of these energy projects in Australia to assess how many construction jobs will be on-site at the location jobs and what types of jobs were created by that the power plant is constructed but some will the construction and then operation of various involve staff working in office locations in capital renewable energy technologies. The report which cities. The study estimates that between 59% to explains how they estimated employment creation 78% of the jobs created will be in regional areas of is entitled Renewable Energy Employment in Australia outside of capital cities. Australia: Methodology, and is available from: https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/ our-research/institute-sustainable-futures/ our-research/energy-futures/renewable-energy- employment-australia.

18 Renewable energy and jobs in Queensland

Appendix B- A note on the selection of However, ensuring we maintain a reliable and projects used in this study to estimate secure supply of energy will probably mean that employment the mix of projects and locations that are most economical will to be different to what is currently The purpose of this analysis was to provide an proposed by developers and which was used to illustration of the employment creation potential inform this analysis. For example, the western from exploiting Queensland renewable energy parts of Queensland have a superb solar resource resources using real-world examples of projects that is less susceptible to cloud cover and well that are currently under construction or recently suited to solar thermal with energy storage as well constructed or are being currently pursued by as solar PV. However, because of a lack of suitable power project developers. Because wind and solar transmission infrastructure and the immature technology have only recently reached a level of nature of solar thermal technology, developers scale and cost competitiveness that rivals that of have focused on other options. Also there hasn’t fossil fuels, many people are yet to appreciate just been a pressing need for extra pumped hydro how significant a role these technologies could and battery capacity because existing fossil fuel play in meeting our energy needs, generating generators have little trouble flexing their output employment and supporting our economy. In up and down around the variation in solar and such circumstances tangible examples of actual output experienced to date, and projects being built or proposed by businesses can expected over the next few years. But as solar help to convey this better for many people than an and wind’s share of power supply becomes far explanation based on the engineering principles more significant, then fast-response energy storage of these technologies and the available wind and projects will become more useful and economically solar resource. Such technology-based explanations attractive. Also, while it is expected that hydrogen can come across as abstract and theoretical to production technology will achieve substantial cost many members of the general public, even though reductions over the next ten years, proposals will the technological performance has been well tend to remain modest until these cost reductions demonstrated in the field and there are a wide are realised. range of locations that are suitable for renewable If anything, we expect a more diverse mix of energy projects that are not currently being technologies will result in greater employment proposed for development. creation than what has been detailed in this report. This is because pumped hydro and solar thermal projects in particular usually require more labour to construct than wind and solar. Also energy storage projects will often complement rather than displace the need for wind and solar capacity.

19 With investment in high-quality transmission infrastructure, supportive government policy, and a skilled and enthusiastic workforce, Queensland could be a world leader in renewable energy projects.

Australian Conservation Foundation Level 1, 60 Leicester Street Carlton VIC 3053 ABN 22 007 498 482 Telephone 1800 223 669 Website acf.org.au Email [email protected] Twitter @AusConservation