Renewable energy in Wide Bay Burnett

Wide Bay Burnett is set to become a manufacturing and renewable energy powerhouse in the next 25 years, offering new job opportunities and economic growth.

The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan 2023 says Queensland’s renewable energy transformation will advance and complement the region’s established agricultural industry.

Continued investment in the region will help Queensland reach its carbon emissions reduction target of 75% (below 2005 levels) by 2035, and net zero by 2050.

Regional centres include Maryborough, Gympie, Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

Energy strengths

The Bundaberg and Hervey Bay postcodes are the highest-ranking postcodes across Queensland for use of rooftop solar. This community investment in renewable energy is putting valuable quantities of electricity into the grid.

The proposed Borumba pumped hydro facility will have a capacity of 2GW with 24 hours of storage. This is equivalent to approximately one-third of the daily energy consumed in Queensland. If approved, the project is expected to create 2,000 jobs at peak construction.

Manufacturing capabilities are further advancing the region, with Australia’s first large-scale, iron-flow battery manufacturing plant in Maryborough.

The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan will ensure this potential translates into employment and improved quality of life for locals.

Renewable energy generation

Wide Bay Burnett is already contributing clean energy through solar such as Childers, Woolooga and Susan River solar farms.

Pumped hydro energy storage

The proposed pumped hydro energy storage facility at Borumba Dam, Imbil (near Gympie), is a $14.2 billion project. It will store excess solar and wind energy and help dispatch power to homes and businesses during peak periods.

In February 2024, the Queensland Government announced $5 million worth of community benefits projects for Imbil. They include township upgrades, a mountain bike park and a replacement GP clinic for the medical centre that closed last year.

Queensland Hydro is engaging with local communities to understand and limit potential impacts. Register for updates on the Queensland Hydro project page.

Manufacturing facilities

The country’s first large-scale iron-flow battery manufacturing facility is under construction in Maryborough. Once operational, Energy Storage Industries aims to employ up to 500 skilled employees and contractors across regional Queensland.

The $70 million battery facility will focus on the manufacturing and distribution of iron-flow batteries. A targeted battery design also means up to 80% of battery components will be sourced from regional Queensland, including the mineral-rich Wide Bay Burnett region.

Coal-fired power stations

The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan has committed to repurposing and reinvesting in all publicly owned coal-fired power stations.

Potential transition activities for coal-fired power stations may include:

• installing renewable energy generation methods like sun or solar at the plants
• adding large-scale batteries to help store excess renewable energy
• replacing operations with large-scale hydrogen projects
• repurposing existing power generators into synchronous condensers that help to manage the stability of the energy grid.

The region’s coal-fired plants will remain online until there is enough renewable energy generation to power our grid. Legislation will guarantee job security for all existing energy workers, ensuring choices and opportunities are supported.

How we generate electricity in Queensland

View Queensland’s electricity generation map.

Landholder opportunities

Opportunities exist for landholders to host renewable energy projects. The Queensland Renewable Energy Landholder Toolkit can help you with the decision-making process.

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