We responded to the Queensland Government consultation on their Draft Renewables Regulatory Framework. The Framework can – we believe – play a key connecting function between planning, policy and practice by renewable energy developers in Queensland. We support it being refined and implemented to address key gaps for communities, local government, environment and developers. Our feedback is informed by our ongoing work in Queensland and key initiatives including:
- Campaigning for Federal Government funding of Local Energy Hubs in Queensland
- Research into regional community perspectives on renewables and wider energy infrastructure development throughout 2024
- Leading a collaboration with the Queensland Conservation Council, Energy Charter, Powerlink and developers to produce a guide for Renewables and Biodiversity - Opportunities for Collaboration
- Establishing the Transmission Alliance – a civil-society grouping supporting transmission, and the guide: Why investing in our grid is a priority for Australia
- Participating in the Energy Charter, Queensland Renewable Energy Council, developers and NGO workshops to inform a Queensland Developer Code of Conduct
The Government’s stated goal for the framework is to deliver “...enhanced environmental outcomes, effective community participation, easy access to information, enduring landholder protections, and efficient industry facilitation.”
We think all of the initiatives are heading in the right direction to deliver on these outcomes, however several improvements can be made. Specifically, we recommend the Government:
- Endorse our call for the Federal Government to fund Local Energy Hubs in key Queensland Renewable Energy Zones.
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Publicly commit to keeping and improving on the Queensland Renewable Energy Zone framework and its underpinning legislation to support investor certainty, future energy reliability and affordability, and delivery of benefits for the regions. This can be achieved by
- Ongoing community engagement around renewable energy zones to inform and input to development of large scale renewable energy, expanding regional development opportunities and benefit sharing
- Enabling local renewable energy zones in the distribution grid which also encourage agri-solar, community energy projects and First Nations owned community energy projects
- Setting set strong foundations for fair and safe conditions for workers
- Empowering First Nations groups to shape the opportunities and benefits from Queensland’s renewable energy and supporting infrastructure
- Improving landholder protections and access to information in general and for decommissioning and end of life activities
- Ensuring Queensland’s REZs are a success by investing in community engagement and regional planning approaches that work.
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Invest in partnerships – through the existing Partnerships Framework – to support development of local visions and frameworks, and investment in co-existence to embed positive, long-term sustainable outcomes for agriculture, manufacturing and renewable energy industries across Queensland.
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Ensure the outcome of this Renewables Regulatory Framework consultation requires that all renewable energy projects – regardless of technology – are required to undertake early-stage engagement with communities and councils around their projects. This would be better enabled by:
- Progressing reforms for effective regional planning, community benefit and environmental protection
- Supporting Local Governments capacity and resourcing to acquit their planning authority roles by developing clear templates and guidance for assessing solar and battery proposals
- Finalising the Renewable Energy Developer Code of conduct and setting clear expectations and protocols for engagement, information provision, land access , local council contributions and community benefit sharing funds.
- Ensure that Queensland maintains strong and ambitious renewable energy goals and builds transmission and distribution capacity across the state to meet the needs to connect future generation and keep energy affordable, sustainable and reliable for every Queenslander.