Energy in Queensland
[2] In 2006, Queensland became the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Australia due to its reliance on coal power and road transport.
[5] The highest peak demand for electricity in Queensland for which data is currently available was 8,891 MW and occurred on 18 January 2010.
In April 1985, the SEQEB dispute saw electricity workers walk off the job over stalled wage negotiations.
Brisbane and South East Queensland experienced rolling blackouts and 1,000 union members lost their jobs.
[9] Because there are fewer people in remote and regional Queensland electricity is subsidised by a Community Service Obligation payment made to distributors such as Energex and Ergon.
[11] In the 2007–08 financial year, 88% of Queensland's electricity generation was fuelled by black coal, 10% from gas and 2% from renewable sources.
[7] Access to numerous coal mines, including 10 mines in the major coal-producing region of the Bowen Basin,[12] provided an abundant fuel source which historically was cheaper to produce when compared to renewable sources, as the social, health and climatic costs of burning coal were not accounted for.
[18] The ban was lifted in early 2013, allowing commercial production to begin at a Queensland Energy Resources plant at Gladstone.
It began operations in 1965 and produces a range of petroleum products which meets more than half of the state's fuel needs.
The task force was led by the Member for Hervey Bay, Andrew McNamara, aiming to investigate supply constraints, rising prices and the impact of peak oil on Queenslanders.
[20] The taskforce produced the McNamara Report which concluded that the state was highly vulnerable to rising oil prices and that alternative energy sources could not be easily substituted.
[13] Natural gas is delivered directly to homes in the cities of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Rockhampton.
[28] Coal seam gas in the Surat Basin is 98% methane making it relatively pure and requiring little treatment before use.
[29] On 21 April 2011, the largest sales and purchase agreement in Australia by annual volume of LNG was signed in Brisbane.
The binding agreement between Origin Energy (with joint venture partner ConocoPhillips) and Sinopec will see 4.3 million tonnes of LNG exported to China via Gladstone from 2015 for the next 20 years.
[30] The impact of coal seam gas exploration and production has raised numerous environmental concerns.
The aim of the initiative was to identify geothermal resources which are close to the coast with its existing electricity transmission lines and major population centres.
[51] The installation of rooftop solar systems in Queensland is being hampered by claimed deficiencies in the electricity grid.
However these claims seem based around excess power more so then actual deficiencies with the loss of income as one of the main concerns listed.
[48] A state government policy of diversification of fuel sources has led to initiatives like the 13% Gas Scheme.
These efforts and the 2006 halt to land clearing in Queensland, form part of the state's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
[54] The initiative, which began in 2008, involves installing a minimum of two KW solar panels at every Queensland state school.
The aim of the plan is to reduce peak demand and offset the need to commission a new major power station.
The 6 GW CopperString transmission line is a project to link Mount Isa to Townsville and the National Electricity Market, at different voltages.
[60][61] The CopperString project was postponed after Xstrata decided to source their electricity from a small gas fired power plant in Mt Isa.
[62] Contracts for the project were signed in 2021,[63] and preparations started in July 2024, when construction began for accommodation of 500 people.
A plan to build a 3,200 km long, A$5.5 billion gas pipeline from Papua New Guinea was abandoned by Exxon in early 2007.
