By Juliano Oliveira
Queensland Conservation Council has introduced their views for a self-sufficient renewable energy state.
The independent group affirms to be possible and achievable a future Queensland run by 100% clean energy, according to scenarios provided by Dr Ben Elliston from the University of NSW and Tristan Edis from Green Energy Markets.
“Queensland has a multitude of options for how it might achieve 100% renewable and reliable and affordable electricity supply, ” Mr Edis said.
The reports built by the specialists served as a parameter for QCC create its combination of renewable energy technologies which could provide all Queensland’s domestic electricity needs.
“We can replace all dirty coal-burning power stations in Queensland with clean energy sources to give us plenty of electricity, at the right times, in the right place, with stable 24-7 supply,” explains QCC’s Climate and Energy Campaigner, Claire Fryer.
“This process could generate around 9,400 full-time jobs in construction and installation activity if this transition was undertaken over a 15 year period. The ongoing full-time equivalent jobs in operating and maintaining the renewable energy facilities and batteries are estimated to be just under 11,000.”
Attentive to the results of the next state elections, Queensland Conservation Council will call on the next government a plan to replace coal energy.
“A recent report by leading experts, Climate Analytics, found Queensland must stop burning coal for power by 2030 to play our part in keeping global heating to 1.5 Celsius under the UN’s Paris Agreement targets.”
A rise of more than 1.5C would “virtually guarantee the extinction of most of the Great Barrier Reef,” outlines Claire Fryer.
“Despite this, there is still currently no plan in place to phase out the state’s coal-fired stations and make the essential transition over to renewable energy.”