Queensland citizens draws to the attention of the House that your petitioners do not approve of the rapid and costly investment of tax-payer funds in unreliable, costly, and inefficient wind and solar projects across the eastern seaboard. These projects do not have high enough capacity factors to effectively replace coal-fired power stations without consuming vast tracks of ecological habitats and food-producing land, destroying regional communities, devouring natural resources, and generating bulk carbon emissions during transport and construction phases.

Capacity factors for wind (~33%) and solar (~25%) power generation are very low due to the intermittent, weather-dependent nature of these energy sources. This means the 5,774 MW contained within the 50 existing/planned renewable projects in Queensland’s energy plan can realistically generate no more than 1905 MW but consume tens of thousands of square kilometres of land. Conversely, the 1,460 MW Stanwell Power Station operates at 67% (2019/20 Annual Report) to produce 978.2 MW on 1,500 hectares. Just two power stations and 3,000 hectares would be needed to generate an equivalent power load as the 50 RE projects, and the impacted area would be similarly small if Australia followed the UK’s lead and considered nuclear power, given its highly efficient 91% capacity factor.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to halt its pursuit of renewable energy targets and conduct a publicly transparent evidential analysis of wind and solar projects against alternative clean energy like nuclear that would utilise Australia’s vast reserves of uranium to reduce CO2 emissions and secure affordable, clean power.