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Queensland premier announces plan for “world’s biggest pumped hydro scheme”

Queensland premier announces plan for “world’s biggest pumped hydro scheme”

Queensland, Australia, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced plans for a clean energy future that includes what she says will be the biggest pumped hydro storage scheme in the world.

Part of the AUD$62 billion ($40.1 billion) Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan involves construction of a new dam in the Pioneer Valley near Mackay that will supply half of Queensland’s entire energy needs with clean, reliable and affordable renewable energy. Specifics on the new pumped storage hydro scheme were not disclosed but it appears this may involve building two new pumped storage hydro plants at Pioneer/Burdekin and Borumba Dam by 2035, which was included in the plan. Borumba Dam was previously identified as one of the best potential sites for long-duration pumped hydro in Queensland through the Queensland Hydro Study

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the two new pumped hydro facilities, which would use electricity from solar plants to pump water to the upper reservoirs, would be bigger than the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric scheme.

The plan will unlock 22 GW of new renewable capacity, which is eight times the country’s current level. It includes sourcing 70% of Queensland’s energy supply from renewables by 2032 and 80% by 2035.

Under the plan, a new Queensland SuperGrid will connect solar, wind, battery and hydrogen generators across the State. New rooftop solar (11.5 GW) and embedded batteries (6 GW) will be installed. The plan also calls for building Queensland’s first hydrogen-ready gas turbine.

Queensland’s publicly-owned coal-fired power stations to stop reliance on burning coal by 2035, converting to clean energy hubs to transition to, for example, hydrogen power, with job guarantees for workers.

The Premier said the visionary plan set Queensland up for the next century. “This plan is all about cheaper, cleaner and secure energy for Queenslanders,” Palaszczuk said. “Renewable energy is the cheapest form of new energy. This plan makes Queensland the renewable energy capital of the world. It also takes real and decisive action on climate change providing the biggest commitment to renewable energy in Australia’s history.”