Cheap, plentiful clean energy in our region’s future

There is growing diversity of energy production in the Surat Basin, presenting advancements and opportunities for our region.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) recently invited Maia Schweizer, CEO of CleanCo Queensland to a Boardroom Briefing with industry in Toowoomba.  

CleanCo is the Queensland Government’s clean energy generator, with a mandate to partner flexible hydro and gas power plants with low cost new wind and solar resources to offer customers clean, reliable energy at competitive prices.

CEO of CleanCo, Maia Schweizer, said CleanCo’s purpose is to do this in a way that creates business opportunities and jobs in Queensland’s regions.

“It was fantastic to meet so many regional leaders in Toowoomba and hear about their hopes and challenges at the same time as sharing CleanCo’s vision,” said Dr Schweizer.

“Queensland has the ‘bull’s eye’ with abundant wind, solar and hydro resources, along with minerals and metals, and the people and infrastructure to bring the two together.”

“Our future will be fuelled by cheap, plentiful clean energy, and Toowoomba sits on the edge of one of Queensland’s most prospective renewable energy corridors.”

CleanCo are already taking part in many new major projects including CleanCo’s own 102MW Karara Wind Farm as well as the 320MW Western Downs Green Power Hub, and the 400MW Macintyre Wind Farm.

“Collectively these projects are bringing over 1000 jobs and $500 million investment to the region,” said Dr Schweizer.

TSBE CEO, Ali Davenport, said TSBE will be hosting a special edition Enterprise breakfast in September in Toowoomba to discuss procurement opportunities that will come out of the Macintyre Precinct.

“There are real opportunities in our region at the moment, and the Macintyre Precinct in particular will have an export capacity of approximately 1,026MW and create a workforce of approximately 400 over the life of the project,” said Ms Davenport.    

“We look forward to hearing more as the project moves through the development phase.”

Development of this industry is incredibly promising in the Energy Capital of Australia. 

Visit www.tsbe.com.au to keep up to date.