‘Very hard’ to reach net zero under Queensland’s new plan: expert

Queensland’s bid to reach net zero by 2050 is unlikely after the state government unveiled an energy plan that extended the reliance on coal-fired power for decades, according to a leading industry expert.

Energy Minister David Janetzki revealed on Friday the state will burn coal until at least 2046 – 11 years later than the former Labor government’s plan – but also said it was likely it would use the energy source to power Queensland homes for many decades into the future.

The state has scrapped the renewable energy target but has declared it will stick to the legislated net zero by 2050 emissions target – including the more ambitious staged reduction of 75 per cent by 2035.

“There’s no plan to amend that act,” Janetzki said when asked if the government would scrap the targets legislated by the former Labor government.

“We’re not amending the Clean Energy Jobs Act … and we committed to net zero [by 2050] before the election.”

But that pledge will be “very hard” to follow through on, according to Tony Wood, the energy and climate change senior fellow at the Grattan Institute.

“I don’t see how you can have that much coal-fired capacity still running in the mid-2040s and still get to zero effectively by 2050,” he told this masthead after the speech.

“I think it’s very hard.”

Wood conceded he was still crunching the numbers on whether the 75 per cent reduction by 2035 was viable, but said the overall energy plan was “not as catastrophic as some groups were thinking”.

“It’s not as though they’ve abandoned renewable at all, and I think it’s pretty pragmatic,” he said.

The government’s highly anticipated energy plan features a reliance on both coal and gas to support the gradual transition to renewable sources.

It includes a $400 million Queensland energy investment fund to entice private sector investment and a $1.6 billion electricity maintenance guarantee to improve existing assets owned by the state.

Queensland Investment Corporation, the state-owned investment body, will be tasked with engaging the private sector to build pumped hydro projects.

My task was to find the balance … I want to continue to see emission reductions because it’s important

Energy Minister David Janetzki

The Energy Minister added CopperString – almost 1000 kilometres of overhead powerlines between Townsville to Mount Isa – would be delivered with $2.1 billion in savings and claimed the energy plan would save the average household about $1035 a year.

“Put at its most straightforward, to meet the energy generation challenge of our future we need more generation,” Janetzki told hundreds of industry representatives and stakeholders.

“Coal for longer, more gas, more wind and solar and more pumped hydro and batteries for firming and storage.

“My task was to find the balance … I want to continue to see emission reductions because it’s important.”

Deputy Opposition leader Cameron Dick panned the announcement, describing the plan as “ideological”, while the confirmation of extending coal power was ridiculed by conservation groups and welcomed by the coal industry.

Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman accused the government of pandering to “fossil fuel loving party members and donors”, and said the plan was illogical given the ageing infrastructure of some assets – specifically the notorious stations at Callide in Central Queensland.

“The Queensland LNP’s moves to axe renewable energy and storage projects, bank on expensive gas and keep Queenslanders chained to failing coal power stations is a recipe for higher power bills and less reliable energy,” he said.

“Queensland’s coal power stations are increasingly unreliable as they age. They were offline a staggering 78 times over the last summer period because they keep breaking down.”

But industry lobby Coal Australia said the announcement supported its view that coal was the cheapest and most reliable source of energy, “and recognises the huge leaps in clean coal technology”.

“This decision of the Queensland government ensures it has all the flexibility it needs to keep the Queensland economy strong by extending the life of government-owned generators for as long as necessary based on demand and the power station’s structural integrity and economic viability,” Coal Australia chief executive Stuart Bocking said.

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