THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

MEDIA RELEASE

Saturday, 11 May 2024

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New solar farm in southern Queensland to power 300,000 homes

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The Albanese Government has ticked off a new solar farm in Queensland which will generate enough energy to power 300,000 Queensland homes.

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The 800 megawatt Punchs Creek Solar Farm alongside a 250 megawatt battery energy storage system is located 64km south-west of Toowoomba.

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The project includes the installation of 1.7 million solar PV panels on previously cleared agricultural land, which will connect to existing Powerlink transmission line.

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This is another big step in the Government’s plan to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.

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Australians saw how a decade of political fights stopped action on climate change.

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Under the Liberals and Nationals, 24 coal fired power plants with a total capacity of 26.7 GW announced their closure dates, but the previous government failed to deliver any policy to ensure replacement energy capacity.

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At the last election, Australians voted for progress on renewables. That’s exactly what Labor has delivered.

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The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1,438,883 tonnes per annum, equivalent to taking around 450,000 passenger cars off the road for a year.

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We know projects like this are vital to boosting renewables, but they are also great for local jobs and economies. This project will support up to 340 direct jobs in construction and up to 10 ongoing operational jobs.

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Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:

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“We want to unlock Australia’s potential to be a world leader in renewable energy. I’ve now ticked off 47 renewable energy projects which will power over 3 million homes.

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“And we have a record 134 renewables projects in the approval pipeline.

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“This is an exciting time. As well as lower emissions, it means cheaper, cleaner power for all Australians.”

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ENDS