Queensland has called for manufacturers and suppliers of renewable electricity equipment to help build tens of billions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure as the state transforms its energy sector over the next fifteen years.

In its latest announcement, the Queensland Government has called for manufacturing and assembly businesses to register their interests to deliver components or subcomponents of the Queensland SuperGrid.

The call is part of a market-sounding process which aims to identify the level of readiness of local manufacturers to help deliver upon the grid and associated works.

A key part of the states’ $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan released last week, the SuperGrid is a massive infrastructure build.

All up, it involves construction of 25 GW of large-scale wind and solar electricity infrastructure, two new hydro power projects (including one which will be the world’s largest), transformation of existing power stations into clean energy hubs and the linking of all this by thousands of kilometers of new transmission lines.

The market sounding process is being coordinated on the government’s behalf by Queensland Treasury Corporation.

It will gather information from industry about their level of interest and readiness to accelerate, establish or expand manufacturing businesses in Queensland to help deliver upon the energy and jobs plan.

It will also help the government to understand how it can support industry to capitalise on local manufacturing opportunities.

In particular, the government is interested in hearing from manufacturing and assembly businesses who can deliver the components and sub-components of the assets required to deliver the plan.

These include generation assets such as wind and solar along with transmission and storage assets such as pumped hydro and grid-scale batteries.

As part of this process, the government has issued a prospectus outlining opportunities available along with support options that may be considered.

According to the prospectus, opportunities to build the project will be huge.

Over the next thirteen years, the state will need:

• more than 2,000 wind towers and nacelles
• more than 7,000 wind tower blades
• almost 25 million solar PV modules
• nearly 7,000 batteries.

The prospectus is available here. Those wishing to register their interest can do so here.

Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk said opportunities for local business will be significant.

“$62 billion means a step change investment in wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, pumped hydro equipment and transmission lines,” she said.

“And because so much of it will be procured by Queensland Government Owned Corporations, we get the chance to use our purchasing power to drive local manufacturing, which means even more local jobs.

“Delivering this equipment presents an incredible economic opportunity for Queensland.

“We want to seize this opportunity by manufacturing as much of this renewable energy equipment as possible right here in Queensland.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the prospectus will enable engagement with industry keen to support Queensland’s clean energy future through local manufacture.

“Instead of importing the wind tower blades, we could be manufacturing them in Queensland and using them to build our SuperGrid and exporting them to the world,” Miles said.

“We will need thousands of batteries, wind turbines, solar panels and kilometres of transmission lines – and we want that equipment built here in Queensland, so Queenslanders get the benefits.

“We’re calling on industry and businesses who are prepared to manufacture this equipment here in Queensland  to register their interest.”

“Whether that’s by expanding existing facilities to meet the demand, establishing a new manufacturing business, or moving operations to Queensland, we want to engage with you.”

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