The Queensland Government has released the first look at the future Stanwell Clean Energy Hub, which is expected to unlock new industrial jobs in hydrogen, renewables, manufacturing, and critical minerals.
The Future Energy and Innovation Training Hub (FEITH), which will serve as the foundation for the Stanwell Clean Energy Hub, will receive an investment from Stanwell of up to $100 million.
“The FEITH project will be the visible bright spark of Stanwell’s transformation to clean energy and our vision is for FEITH to be a catalyst for advancing the energy transformation, not just at Stanwell, but for the entire State,” Stanwell CEO Michael O’Rourke said.
The CEO added that the initiative will help to better understand new energy technologies and how they can be used to build Stanwell’s renewable energy portfolio while also driving the development of Queensland’s hydrogen industry.
The project is expected to be completed in stages, beginning with the construction of shared infrastructure and civil works in late 2023.
In the future, there will be a skills academy and a demonstration facility where the community may learn about new energy technology.
The project will cost more than $100 million in total and will be implemented over a five-year period.
“The nation cannot meet its legislated emissions reduction targets without serious action in Queensland, so we are delivering the energy transition that Queenslanders and Australians voted for,” stated Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni.
The minister added, “The first place the Premier and I went following the release of our plan was the Stanwell Power Station to give the workforce the Government’s commitment to their job security and outline our blueprint to convert it into a Clean Energy Hub.”
The 1,460MW Stanwell Power Station is located between the prospective future Capricorn and Calliope Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) mentioned in Queensland’s Draught REZ Roadmap.
“Our Queensland Draft Renewable Energy Zone Roadmap demonstrates our unique ability to deliver benefits for local communities through infrastructure, transport, housing and accommodation, workforce, supply chains, waste management, biodiversity protection other land uses, and social infrastructure, as well as local industry and First Nations considerations,” Minister de Brenni said.
He continued, “We’ve always said that Queensland’s publicly owned power stations will continue to play an important role in our future energy system as clean energy hubs because they are located in strong parts of the network with strategic advantages like grid connection, a highly skilled workforce, established community relationships, and land.”
Between 1,900 and 3,800MW of installed generation are anticipated to be connected by only those two zones, resulting in the creation of up to 650 construction jobs, backed by the Jobs Security Guarantee for the current workforce.
Central Queensland’s REZ encompasses ten local government areas and assists the region’s core businesses of agriculture, building, minerals processing, and manufacturing in meeting clean energy targets and worldwide market demand.
