Garnaut’s big vision for the Outback gets a kick start from funding
It was a line item in Tuesday’s Budget. Just $7 million, but Ross Garnaut’s dream of a major renewable industrial park in Barcaldine can finally get moving.
Prominent economist Ross Garnaut pictured at Barcaldine which he sees as integral to meeting Australia's future solar energy needs. (file photo)
The famous economist remains secretive about the money needed but said it would be “large” to get to the full stop on the project which wants to build massive solar farms in the Queensland Outback where the sunlight is just right.
More than $830 million has been bandied about before, but that was in the early vision of the project that has the support of seven Outback councils. The early proposal was for 80 megawatts of wind power and 90MW of solar a well as a green urea plant.
“The work so far up to development approvals (being) granted has been nearly all funded by private capital,” Garnaut told InQueensland.
“A number of private investors in particular projects are well engaged and we have been waiting for state support for public use infrastructure before taking them to the final stage.
“Things can move forward now.”
Garnaut’s idea is to use renewable energy to attract industry to Barcaldine. Proposed previously was a hydrogen plant as well as the manufacture of vanadium electrolyte.
It’s a big vision and Garnaut said the Queensland Government had grasped the opportunity with its funding which would deliver the early infrastructure needed to get things started.
“This Budget recognises that the new Queensland opportunities are not confined to the great provincial cities on the coast. Inland central Queensland has missed out on new jobs and rising incomes for over half a century. The support in this Budget for an industrial precinct using renewable energy in Barcaldine will extend the new era of Queensland development west of the Great Divide,” he said.
“The Barcaldine Renewable Energy Zone (BREZ) will provide a model for zero emissions rural development throughout Queensland and Australia.
“Barcaldine was chosen as the site for the first rural renewable energy industrial zone because of its existing energy infrastructure, access to rail and road and strong support from local and State Government.
“There is active interest in a number of projects of various scale and adding up to transformational development for a small inland town.
“The projects share themes of utilising the fabulous solar energy and excellent wind resource, using waste biomass and sustainable growing and harvesting more; making and using hydrogen from low-cost renewable electricity, and making one factory’s waste another’s industrial raw material.”
