Investing in Queensland's renewable energy supply chain

Queensland has many renewable energy resources and is also rich in critical minerals, which are manufacturing inputs for renewable energy components. With continued industry growth, Queensland is becoming Australia's premier location for renewable energy manufacturing, generation and storage.

The Government has demonstrated its support for the renewable energy industry and manufacturing sectors through the release of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan (QEJP), setting renewable energy targets and introducing incentive programs to help grow the state's capability to deliver the QEJP.

There are many projects underway in Queensland, making now a good time to invest in our renewable energy industry.

Also, the government's Queensland Renewable Energy Procurement Policy (QREPP) (PDF, 1.7MB) outlines how the Buy Queensland approach to procurement applies to renewable energy investment and infrastructure:

• supports the development of new supply markets
• enables strong local supply market engagement to build supply chain resilience
• strengthens regional capabilities to deliver the QEJP and guarantee Queenslanders are the beneficiaries of these opportunities.

Queensland's renewable energy sector is experiencing significant growth – boosting employment and regional development. Queensland has one of the world's highest levels of solar exposure, with an average of 20 megajoules per square metre. This makes it the ideal location for solar energy generation.

Queensland also has areas of excellent wind resources, which are beginning to be developed in Northern Queensland, west of Gladstone and in the Darling Downs. The strong investment in Queensland's renewable energy generation projects will continue to grow, providing certainty to manufacturers and supply chains.

Battery and storage technologies are also seeing significant growth. Queensland has an advanced materials and battery ecosystem that is emerging and innovative, and being reinforced by both:

• strong research capability, particularly with the National Battery Testing Centre located in northern Brisbane
• opportunities to supply storage solutions to state-owned energy generators.

Queensland's North West Minerals Province (NWMP) contains the copper, zinc, vanadium and cobalt minerals needed to build components for renewable energy generation, such as solar PV and batteries. The CopperString 2032 project is a 1,100km high-voltage electricity transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa that will connect the NWMP to the national electricity project and provide energy certainty to the region's critical mineral sector.

This guide explains the benefits of investing in Queensland's renewable energy supply chain.