BREAKING: ‘ COLLATERAL DAMAGE’ FARMERS WIN BIG AS QUEENSLAND SLAMS BRAKES ON RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS
- Furious farmers in Queensland hail new state laws as a major victory in the battle against renewable energy projects on prime agricultural land
- Battery energy storage systems (BESS) will now be assessed by the state government, not local councils, in a move that could stifle investment in the sector
- Industry groups warn that the changes will lead to delays and uncertainty, causing investors to flee the state
Therese Creed, a cattle producer from rural Queensland, feels like she’s been fighting a losing battle against the tidal wave of renewable energy projects sweeping across the state. Her farm, nestled in the picturesque countryside near Biloela, is surrounded by land slated for a massive solar farm and battery energy storage system. For seven long years, she’s been waging war against these projects, fearing they’ll destroy the state’s fertile agricultural land and biodiversity.
But in a dramatic turn of events, the Queensland government has announced a major shake-up in the way these projects are approved. From now on, battery energy storage systems (BESS) greater than 50 megawatts will be assessed by the state government, not local councils. This means that new projects will require community benefit agreements with local governments before development applications are lodged.
For farmers like Therese, this is a major victory. “Now that it’s gone to state level … there will be people who are a lot more qualified to approve these projects,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief. But industry groups are up in arms, warning that the changes will lead to delays and uncertainty, causing investors to flee the state.
“From an industry perspective, [being] as volatile, chaotic and unwelcoming as you can be means that investors will go elsewhere,” said Jackie Trad, chief executive of the Clean Energy Council. She revealed that several big investors are already having second thoughts about staying in Queensland, which could mean hundreds of jobs are lost.
The changes are a direct response to feedback from community groups, councils, and the Local Government Association of Queensland. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the new regulatory framework provides a clear set of rules for industry. But for Therese Creed, any progress is good progress, even if it’s come too late for her beloved Smoky Creek.