The Queensland Government has announced $40 million of funding towards a Local Renewable Energy Zone (LREZ) in Townsville North Queensland, starting from January 2025.
The Queensland LREZ, nation-first project will work by allowing households with rooftop solar to transfer the energy they generate during the day into local batteries, to be transferred back to additional households during the night, when the sun isn’t shining, but energy usage is at its peak.
This system has the added benefit of giving clean, affordable energy to community members who are unable to install rooftop solar, like renters or those in social housing.
Townsville Enterprise, CEO, Claudia Brumme-Smith said "The region is set to be an energy powerhouse, generating for the Queensland and Australian energy market, thanks to having one of the best solar resources in the country, with over 300 days of sunshine each year. The establishment of the LREZ in Townsville North Queensland marks a transformative step for our region, positioning us as a leader in sustainable energy and securing a cleaner, greener future for generations to come. Since the investment announcement of CopperString in 2023, the North Queensland project pipeline has grown to more than $14.1 billion in renewable projects, representing over 40% of the total investment pipeline value expected until 2030. Currently, the North generates approximately 1,600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of power annually from renewables - enough to power 200,000 homes. With the delivery of announced projects across the CopperString network, this capacity is projected to increase more than tenfold, thanks to the world-leading solar and wind resources we have in our backyard.
Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, Hon Mick de Brenni said "Just like public ownership of Queensland’s energy assets, the LREZ project will put control of energy into the communities' hands. This exciting LREZ initiative, which is the first of its kind in Queensland, puts everything on the table, including more affordable power, access to the benefits of rooftop solar for renters, innovative network solutions."
This initiative is open for expressions for interest, with 550 Townsville residents to be part of the first wave of local renewable energies - www.energex.com.au/lrez
