While coal and gas get a lot of love in the Crisafulli Government’s Queensland Energy Roadmap released late last week, the same can’t be said for renewables generally — including small scale solar power and battery storage.
The desired outcome of the Roadmap can be summarised by the following statement from Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki when he unveiled the plan on Friday.
“The former Labor Government’s ideological decision to close coal units by 2035, regardless of their condition, is officially abolished,” Janetzki said.
Queensland is now potentially locked into pricey and polluting coal-fired power generation for decades to come.
What’s In The Roadmap For Small-scale Renewables?
Under the Queensland Energy Roadmap, the Crisafulli Government will commit $10 million to support further investment in community batteries across the distribution network, working with Energy Queensland and the private sector.
The Roadmap also mentions the previously promised Supercharged Solar For Renters scheme.
“The Queensland Government is delivering cost-of-living relief to renters and advancing renewable energy adoption through the $26.3 million Supercharged Solar for Renters program,” the Roadmap states (page 38). “This initiative is providing eligible landlords with rebates up to $3,500 to install rooftop solar PV systems on about 6,500 rental properties, helping to drive down electricity bills for tenants.”
Except that it isn’t; because it hasn’t even started yet. And based on a previous trial, its success is by no means assured. Further details and a kickoff date are still yet to be announced. For months, the Queensland Treasury page concerning this program has stated:
“Eligibility requirements will be established for applicants, dwelling types, products and installers. These will be released ahead of the program launch later this year.”
The program was among the LNP’s pre-election commitments made early in 2024, but there was no further activity or announcements regarding it until Queensland’s 2025–26 Budget released in June this year that earmarked funding for the program.
Aside from those two programs, there’s nothing to see here for small-scale renewables; move along.
“Betrayed The State’s Reputation”
Commenting on the plan, Solar Citizens’ CEO Heidi Lee Douglas said it was “road to nowhere”.
“This roadmap to a costly, polluting future ignores the proven leader in delivering cheap, clean and reliable energy – rooftop solar backed by home battery storage.”
Among Solar Citizens’ other criticisms is the lack of developing a Consumer Energy Resources Strategy, such as the New South Wales, Western Australian and Federal governments have delivered. The group also notes the lack of consideration for apartment and strata residents, and says the State Government should be prioritising electrification of homes and businesses over new gas.
State Shuns Solar While Feds Support Queenslanders
Thankfully, Queenslanders aren’t reliant on the LNP Government for a helping hand in installing solar and home batteries.
The long-running national solar panel rebate can save thousands on the up- front cost of installing a rooftop solar power system. And the more recent federal government battery rebate currently provides an up-front discount on the purchase and installation of home batteries of roughly 30%. In just the first month of the Cheaper Home Batteries program, more than 4,100 solar batteries were installed/commissioned across the state.
Electricity Generation In Queensland
The Roadmap states that as at June 2025, Queensland was home to around 8 GW of coal-fired generation capacity, 3.5 GW of gas, 1.3 GW storage, 1 GW of wind, 3.2 GW of large-scale solar and close to 7 GW of rooftop solar. Queensland’s rooftop solar capacity represents the highest uptake of any Australian state; with around 40% of free-standing homes having panels on their rooftops.
According to Open Electricity, rooftop solar exports contributed 12.8% to mains grid electricity demand in Queensland last year, and so far this year its contribution is sitting at 13.2%. Coal is at 66.3%, continuing Queensland’s unenviable status as the most coal-dependent state in Australia.
Along with phasing out coal fired electricity generation by 2035, the former Labor Government had set formal renewable energy targets of 50 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2035. The Queensland Energy Roadmap states those targets will be repealed.
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Michael,the solar feedin in Queensland is well ahead of NSW and is part of the incentive to install roof top solar. The reduction in the rate in July this year was accompanied by a drop in the tariff 11 rate to all consumers.
Roof top solar does not require any guaranteed rate as distinct from utility solar, nor does it require the government to provide grid connection and the power is supplied to the grid closer to the area of consumption negating transmission losses.
DPV is the cheapest way to increase solar we just need a way to continue the increase and add battery support to the grid in a similar fashion. Also Queensland coal generators are the newest of the aging coal plants and will be required as the brown coal and plants in NSW close.
What tariff 11 rate to consumers?
I think a relative on a standard QLD market plan is on a base 5c/kWh, but I may need to check that since a quick look around suggests things may have dropped to more like 3c/kWh.
DPV?
And QLD is supposed to be closing Callide B and Gladstone over the next decade, with Tarong scheduled for 2036. The first two generate almost a third of QLD’s coal power, with Tarong it’s not quite half. According to NEM’s dashboard, black coal generate 72% of the state’s power over the last 12 months, but of course what matters isn’t the average, but the peaks.
In the last 24 hours coal hit a high of 88%, and at a different time, hit a high of 5,915 MWh. QLD can’t afford to simply shut coal plants, it not only needs to replace them, but increase its reliable energy production given a growing population and rising energy demands e.g. ducted AC, EVs, big TVs.
Hi John,
If you really look into reliability… as more renewables are deployed the grid reliability only goes up. It’s so obvious even the “conservative” party is claiming credit for it.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/five-years-after-blackout-south-australia-now-only-state-with-no-supply-shortfalls/
https://www.electranet.com.au/strength-reliability-boost-to-south-australias-electricity-network/
Anthony, you’re quoting a 2021 piece in a bid to pretend South Australia doesn’t have supply issues? But like you said ‘conservative’.
Try: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-24/diesel-generators-switched-on-south-australia-electricity-power/104856040
Admittedly that’s risk mitigation, not direct issues, but it is SA.
More importantly: https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2025/09/energy-reality-smacks-south-australia-in-the-face/
SA has the highest cost electricity in the country, basically only beaten by some Western European nations. It also relies on gas and brown coal generation imports from Victoria, the vast majority of coal plants are scheduled to close in the next decade, at which time Australia’s coal generation will be roughly 38% of current levels. Note this is predicated on QLD’s closures happening. Given the LNP’s recent(ish) decision to reverse Labor’s plans, that timeline may change!
Hi John,
You’ve missed the salient point, energy connect to NSW still isn’t finished.
During privatisation 25yrs ago the Liberals cancelled the link because it would make ETSA competitive
They sought a bigger sugar hit from the asset sale, demanding a higher price for a monopoly provider, knowing the new owner would gouge consumers in SA when there was no NSW link.
Smacked in the face? SA was always expansive. The same footprint as Victoria with 25% of the people to pay for it. It’s why half the customers now have solar behind the meter, so they simply don’t buy expensive power.
The country’s largest iron foundry is in SA. Cheap wholesale power rates, driven by wind and solar, is what makes Intercast and Forge viable without subsidy.
Observe that power in renewables dominated SA is quoted as $46/MWh… which is $80 to $100 cheaper than the black coal fired NSW & QLD.
Without it they would have already closed the doors.
John Alba: – “It also relies on gas…”
Morrison and Dutton promised us a gas led recovery. Why hasn’t that happened?
ABC’s chief business correspondent, Ian Verrender, explores why Santos is behind your soaring electricity and mortgage costs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-14/why-santos-is-behind-your-soaring-electricity-and-mortgage-costs/105885202
SA has the same footprint as Victoria? How are you defining that?
SA is 4.3 times the size of Victoria, and 3.7 times less people. But QLD has 2.98 time SA’s population, and 1.76 times the area. Shouldn’t it too be significantly worse than Victoria? As for WA, they’re 1.58 times SA’s population but 2.57 times the area. Are they significantly worse?
The big difference driving SA’s power costs seems to be their decision to go wind and solar with gas backup rather than coal.
Hi John,
SA has the lowest customer density at 9.8 customers/km. Vic 17.7 & NSW 15 due to more urbanised populations and relatively smaller rural distribution areas. Queensland, similar to South Australia, is just under 10 customers/km.
Inner Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane have much higher customer density.
Adelaide has 40 customers/km, but urban SE Qld has 60+ with total state connections 860,000 vs 2,300,000.
South Australia’s smaller size, 70% concentrated in Adelaide with lower geographic diversity, thus more “peaked” demand profile means network spending is also higher.
SA has always been expensive, it can’t not be, but wind and solar make it cheaper.
John Alba: – “The big difference driving SA’s power costs seems to be their decision to go wind and solar with gas backup rather than coal.”
For good economic reason:
https://www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/minerals-and-mining/mineral-commodities/coal
I need to amend my post above – QLD’s planned coal-fired power station closures are being pushed back to at least 2046 according to https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-10/queensland-government-to-establish-400m-energy-fund/105874318. (Yes the 3rd paragraph of this SQ piece noted Labor’s ideological decision to close coal units by 2035.) Ironically Labor are insisting the reversal of their ideological decision is the LNP prioritising ideology rather than science. Doubtless some (all?) of the SQ staff will agree, but plenty of voters will see the LNP decision as reason and science trumping dogma.
Looks like the plans date back to at least April (https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/queensland-tears-up-transition-targets-and-will-keep-coal-for-longer-20250407-p5lpn7), but the legislation to repeal Labor’s annihilation of Queensland’s electricity generation wasn’t happening until this week, probably.
John Alba: – “QLD’s planned coal-fired power station closures are being pushed back to at least 2046…”
That doesn’t change the ages of the Queensland generator units:
Site Name _Commissioning Year(s) _ Use by Date Range _ Expected Closure
Callide B _ _ _ 1988 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2028–2038 _ _ _ _ _ 2031
Gladstone _ _ _1976 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2016–2026 _ _ _ _ _31 Mar 2029
Tarong _ _ _ 1984–1986 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2024–2036 _ _ _ _ _2036-37
Kogan Creek _ 2007 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2047–2057 _ _ _ _ _2042
Stanwell _ _ 1993–1996 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2033–2046 _ _ _ _ _2043-46
Millmerran _ _ _2002 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2042–2052 _ _ _ _ _2051
Callide C _ _ _ 2001 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2041–2051 _ _ _ _ _Not disclosed
https://www.aemo.com.au/energy-systems/electricity/national-electricity-market-nem/nem-forecasting-and-planning/forecasting-and-planning-data/generation-information
They became increasingly more costly & less reliable to operate beyond 40 years of op life.
Queensland may have the newest coal fired power stations but their reliability is notoriously bad . They play “the game” of being unavailable due to ” unforseen maintenance or breakdowns ” at just the.right time to maximise their profits !
Hi Derek,
The gas cartel of Origin, Engie and AGL would do the same trick in SA when the wind wasn’t keeping them honest, until Hornsdale Power Reserve (Tesla Big Battery) started bidding the last few megawatts in to meet the needs and make the price plummet from it’s artificial high.
The catastrophic explosion of Calide is by far the longest unplanned outage on the NEM.
The newest coal burner in the country, Bluewaters, only functions because WAGov props up the attached coal mine with public money.
Australia needs a national energy plan which has to include: 1. The manufacture of high quality PV collectors Australian owned and made. 2.The manufacture of mid sized 1-2 Mwhr sodium ion batteries Australian owned and made that can be installed into local communities and owned by the community utilisiong funds derrived fro the supperannuation accounts of community members.Fpor this to succeed we have to have a national energy plan that looks at the tax extraction system applied to manufacturing of these batteries and solar PV collectors in order to insure there is a return on investment for investors and needs to be regarded as part of a national security program.
Big fan of sodium ion batteries i hope the solar industry notices CATL and other big players in the battery space are moving to, so many environmental and safety benefits.
A key advantage of the sodium ion batteries is that they are non-flammable and therefore strata committees and architects can at least be outlawed from excluding them and be required to provision for them in new builds. At last, renters (typically in strata) could get some real benefit from the green revolution without the FUD.
Powercap: Australian built Naion. Kill the GST on them!
Michael Bloch: – “Along with phasing out coal fired electricity generation by 2035, the former Labor Government had set formal renewable energy targets of 50 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2035. The Queensland Energy Roadmap states those targets will be repealed.”
I’d suggest that has dire consequences, not only for Queenslanders, and Australians, but also for human civilisation in general in the coming years/decades.
https://globaia.org/habitability
The Healthy Planet Action Coalition (HPAC) is bringing together scientists, policymakers, and concerned citizens for a global online conference to build awareness about why temperatures are accelerating, and what this means for humanity.
Over two days, 15 – 16 Oct 2025, HPAC will host two sessions of circa 2½ hours duration per day of discussion. Starting time each day is at 12:30pm GMT.
Programme details at: https://www.preventing2degrees.org/program
This online conference is open to all.
Random thought. If QLD pursues a CCP type model, investing in infrastructure and largely ignoring things like climate change or renewable energy, except as it fits into other plans e.g. improving city air quality by reducing smog output, and this results in a shift of industry to QLD as a cheaper, more legislatively friendly state, what then?
Obviously the comparison isn’t perfect – QLD is … probably the state least akin to the CCP politically, as a state it doesn’t have the same freedoms as a national government, and as a democracy it can’t simply legislate on the basis of elite party interests, but as an exercise I’m curious about the implications.
Or is the scenario simply wrongthink that cannot be tolerated so no discussion entertained?
Hi John,
We enjoy some robust debate but I should remind you that the aim is to be helpful if you can.
I noticed you’re keen to throw some epithets about ice age ideology and wrongthink but I’m curious to know if you’ve examined the hard economics of a mining company that’s turned to renewables. What happens to their signed contracts and the plans of the country as a whole if Queensland decides to move the goalposts for idealogical reasons? They’re certainly not doing it based on economics.
https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2024/rio-tinto-signs-australias-biggest-renewable-power-deal-as-it-works-to-repower-its-gladstone-operations
John Alba: – “Random thought. If QLD pursues a CCP type model, investing in infrastructure and largely ignoring things like climate change or renewable energy…”
For Queensland, climate change is already having consequences.
The IPCC’s Special Report on 1.5 °C of warming projected that coral reefs could decline by 70–90% if the planet warms by just +1.5 °C GMST anomaly. This is because warming leads to more frequent & severe coral bleaching events due to ocean heat, & ocean acidification from absorbed CO₂ weakens coral structures & hinders their growth. At a +2.0 °C GMST anomaly warming scenario, the decline could be nearly total (99%).
A mass bleaching event occurred on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in 2025, the 6th event since 2016.
https://www.aims.gov.au/research-topics/environmental-issues/coral-bleaching/coral-bleaching-events
The GBR supports an estimated 64,000 full-time jobs and contributes $6.4 billion to the Australian economy annually.
Yeah, pretty much as expected really.
But I will suggest your title isn’t quite correct – it isn’t a roadmap to nowhere – it is a roadmap to the “glory days” of the 1970’s where the national party held office with 36% of the vote and the paper bags were stuffed extra full.
…. except it wont be with the cheapest power in Australia (as it was claimed by old Joh back then, who knows if it was or not!)
… and it will probably result in a generational bill for me and my kids to pay off…
Geoff, with action only being taken by the developed democracies the world is becoming a much more dangerous place while CO2 continues to rise at the same rate or higher. Action on reducing emissions that favours Russia, India, Iran, North Korea and the other members of the BRICS who stand openly with Russia against the countries taking action.
The story being told is lying by omission, if CO2 had stayed at 280 ppm the northern hemisphere would be returning to another 100,000 years of ice. Do some research on the earth’s climate and CO2. The last interglaciaL period was 130,000 to 115,000 years ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Interglacial for the last 100,000 year ice sheet it was -6 degrees and CO2 was 180 ppm with CO2 at 420 ppm we may avoid that. The sea level was 120 metres lower than now. All of that water was ice on the northern hemisphere.
We should reduce emissions but globally and equally, what Australia and other democracies is doing is dangerous.
Hi Trevor,
I’d argue what we’re doing is actually a failure in leadership, failure to do enough, failing our own future.
Exponential growth on a finite planet is cancer and the change in atmospheric composition has been so profound, and so fast, the conservative nature of science hasn’t been able to convey to the general public what’s going on.
The speed of what’s going on, the gravity of the situation, has been lost in a lot of fossil funded disinformation.
Trevor Jones: – “The story being told is lying by omission, if CO2 had stayed at 280 ppm the northern hemisphere would be returning to another 100,000 years of ice.”
The reality is that daily atmospheric CO₂ has exceeded 430 ppm in year-2025.
See Slides #7-8 in my Submission (#26) to the NSW Parliament at:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/submissions/91844/0026%20Geoff%20Miell.pdf
Which countries have contributed the most to historical CO₂ emissions since 1750?
https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/which-countries-have-contributed-the-most-to-historical-co-emissions
Trevor Jones: – “Do some research on the earth’s climate and CO2.”
What makes you think I haven’t, Trevor? See all of my Submission referred above.
Humanity is on a collision course towards a +3 °C GMST anomaly, or more; a world beyond any past human experience. Large-scale depopulation would be likely.
Time’s running out to avoid collapse…
Meanwhile, my personal climate action is busily killing my energy bill and removing my dependence on oil and gas.
The reality is that East Coast gas is driving energy costs up faster than utility renewables can bring them down and the only way out is to install your own renewables and battery to stop the oligopolies from clipping your every ticket.
I don’t get mad, I get even. Or ahead.
The greatest joke of all is that I can now profit of fossil fools just like the Greedy gas peakers with my 48kWh home battery & Amber.
Hahahahahahs (that’s evil cackling)