Wood conceded he was still crunching the numbers on whether the 75 per cent reduction by 2035 was viable, but said the overall energy plan was “not as catastrophic as some groups were thinking”.
“It’s not as though they’ve abandoned renewable at all, and I think it’s pretty pragmatic,” he said.
The Callide power station in Biloela, Queensland.
The government’s highly anticipated energy plan features a reliance on both coal and gas to support the gradual transition to renewable sources.
It includes a $400 million Queensland energy investment fund to entice private sector investment and a $1.6 billion electricity maintenance guarantee to improve existing assets owned by the state.
Queensland Investment Corporation, the state-owned investment body, will be tasked with engaging the private sector to build pumped hydro projects.
My task was to find the balance … I want to continue to see emission reductions because it’s important
Energy Minister David Janetzki
The Energy Minister added CopperString – almost 1000 kilometres of overhead powerlines between Townsville to Mount Isa – would be delivered with $2.1 billion in savings and claimed the energy plan would save the average household about $1035 a year.
“Put at its most straightforward, to meet the energy generation challenge of our future we need more generation,” Janetzki told hundreds of industry representatives and stakeholders.
“Coal for longer, more gas, more wind and solar and more pumped hydro and batteries for firming and storage.
“My task was to find the balance … I want to continue to see emission reductions because it’s important.”
Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick responding to the announcement on Friday. Credit: William Davis
Deputy Opposition leader Cameron Dick panned the announcement, describing the plan as “ideological”, while the confirmation of extending coal power was ridiculed by conservation groups and welcomed by the coal industry.
Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman accused the government of pandering to “fossil fuel loving party members and donors”, and said the plan was illogical given the ageing infrastructure of some assets – specifically the notorious stations at Callide in Central Queensland.
“The Queensland LNP’s moves to axe renewable energy and storage projects, bank on expensive gas and keep Queenslanders chained to failing coal power stations is a recipe for higher power bills and less reliable energy,” he said.
“Queensland’s coal power stations are increasingly unreliable as they age. They were offline a staggering 78 times over the last summer period because they keep breaking down.”
But industry lobby Coal Australia said the announcement supported its view that coal was the cheapest and most reliable source of energy, “and recognises the huge leaps in clean coal technology”.
“This decision of the Queensland government ensures it has all the flexibility it needs to keep the Queensland economy strong by extending the life of government-owned generators for as long as necessary based on demand and the power station’s structural integrity and economic viability,” Coal Australia chief executive Stuart Bocking said.
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