Work towards establishing a renewable energy industrial precinct in Barcaldine is "powering ahead" with discussions under way with several interested companies, the state government says.
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The government provided $7 million in the budget towards common user infrastructure to get the proposed Barcaldine Renewable Energy Zone (BREZ) precinct off the ground.
Acting Premier Steven Miles met with leading economist, Professor Ross Garnaut to discuss the BREZ ahead of today's Economic Thought Leadership Forum on decarbonising supply chains and growing new industries in Queensland.
Professor Garnaut is a director of ZEN Energy, the renewable energy company that owns Sunshot Industries, which will develop and deliver the BREZ project in partnership with Barcaldine Regional Council.
The proposed industrial hub would be linked to a large-scale, renewable energy project and provide manufacturing tenants with competitive low-carbon electricity.
"Several companies" have expressed an interest in establishing at the industrial precinct and discussions are ongoing with these companies, according to the government.
The Queensland government is continuing to work with Sunshot Industries and Barcaldine Regional Council, the Joint Venture partners for BREZ, as they determine "the best and most efficient model" to deliver the project.
It follows the release of the Queensland New Industry Development Strategy in May to grow industries critical to the global shift to a net zero economy, including renewable energy manufacturing.
Community consultation on the strategy has opened today and will run for about six weeks.
Mr Miles said Queensland was on the cusp of a new wave of economic growth driven by the global shift to a net zero economy and the government is seizing this opportunity.
"With its abundance of solar and wind resources, Barcaldine is ideally positioned to capitalise on this transition," Mr Miles said.
"Our regions are uniquely set up to support this shift to new, high-value industries.
"Your feedback will help us develop regionally specific transformation strategies and allocate funding to projects that will create local jobs and support economic growth in the long term."
Prof Garnaut said Queensland had immense opportunities to use its rich renewable energy resources to underwrite "the state's greatest era of economic development".
"Inland central Queensland has missed out on new jobs and rising incomes for over half a century," Prof Garnaut said.
"The Queensland government recognises that the new Queensland opportunities are not confined to the great provincial cities on the coast.
"The support for an industrial precinct using renewable energy in Barcaldine will extend the new era of Queensland development west of the Great Divide."
Prof Garnaut said the BREZ would provide a model for zero emissions rural development throughout Queensland and Australia.
He said Barcaldine was chosen as the site for the first rural renewable energy industrial zone because of its existing energy infrastructure, access to rail and road and "strong support" from local and state Government.
"The industries in the BREZ will be globally competitive, relying on low energy and materials costs for sales," he said.
"They will be sustainable, increasing in value and scale as the world moves to zero net emissions. Employment and population in Barcaldine and the surrounding region will be able to grow after generations of decline."
