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Local economic opportunities network

The Local economic opportunities network (LEO network) assists regional communities with economic transition.

The LEO network is part of the Queensland new-industry development strategy. It was established to support investment in clean energy technology and ­help communities take advantage of the economic opportunities available in Queensland.

The network of regionally based staff from the department will:

  • be a government contact for renewable energy, decarbonisation and other economic diversification opportunities
  • keep you informed of current and future government clean energy initiatives
  • be a conduit between community and government agencies to ensure your opinions and preferences are understood
  • identify resources, planning, policy changes and the regulatory frameworks required for opportunities, and how to manage risks
  • work with you to support and inform government policy and program design
  • coordinate with local stakeholders and other agencies to mitigate social and economic impacts and create and support opportunities.

Queensland’s opportunity

Queensland is in a unique position to capitalise on opportunities from the shift towards decarbonisation. Companies, investors and governments are investing in clean-energy technology to reduce carbon emissionsand decarbonise their operations.

The global energy transformation has increased demand for renewable energy on the electricity grid, electric vehicles , and lower emissions fuels for transport. It means:

  • critical minerals need to be mined for batteries, turbines and solar panels, among other products essential for clean-energy development
  • biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, need to be refined and produced
  • batteries for power storage and other uses will need to be manufactured
  • additional hydro, wind and solar farms need to be developed
  • new skills and training opportunities will become available across the state.

Queensland Government transformation initiatives

Search government initiatives and resources available for individuals, businesses and communities to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CategoryAction

Agriculture

Agriculture
  • 2019 Marginal Abatement Cost Curve for Queensland Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture

  • Research and   development to scale low carbon agriculture solutions and industry   development including – robotics and sensors, micro-macroalgal, net-zero net   emissions production systems, supply chain certification and provenance.

Agriculture

Agriculture

  • Agriculture Sector Adaptation Plan - highlights   adaptation activities and considers gaps and barriers to climate risk   management and adaptation in the agricultural sector.

Agriculture

Business

Business

Business

  • Commercial tourism facility operators and holders of long-term Commercial Activity Agreements working in protected areas required to have ecotourism certification.

Business

Business

  • Business Energy Savers program - energy audits and funding to support 191 farms and business to improve their energy efficiency.

Business

  • ecoBiz program - works with more than 1,100 small to medium enterprises to improve resource efficiency, environmental sustainability, and lower operating costs. Funded by the Queensland Government and managed by Business Chamber Queensland.

Communities

Communities

Communities

Communities

Communities

  • Regional Economic Futures Fund - $200m to support economic initiatives in regional communities.

Construction

  • Determined building sector’s contribution to Queensland’s emissions.

Construction

  • Develop Zero Net Emissions Infrastructure Plan

Construction

  • Develop Zero Net Emissions 2050 Buildings Plan

Construction

  • Identify potential economic measures to reduce emissions associated with buildings.

Construction

  • Prepare for Brisbane 2032 Climate Positive Olympic and Paralympic Games

Construction

  • Improve standards for new and retrofitted residential and commercial buildings.

Construction

  • Investigate opportunities for residential and commercial building upgrades, including energy efficiency, renewable energy use and climatic resilience.

Construction

  • Department of Transport and Main Roads mandates all major project sustainability assessments use the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia and attain a minimum of excellent or above.

Construction

  • Office of Hospital Sustainability - Queensland Government commitment to establish within the Department of Health. Responsible for implementing $30m Emissions Reduction Program.

Construction

Construction

  • Queensland Building Plan – released by Queensland Government to guide policy and legislation to create a safer, fairer, and more sustainable construction industry.

Energy

  • Powering Queensland Plan - $1.16b to ensure secure and affordableelectricity and supports the transition to a cleaner energy sector.

Environment

  • Delivering the Land Restoration Fund.

Environment

Environment

Environment

  • Long Paddock - provides climate science resources for the agriculture sector to improve decision-making in a variable and changing climate.

Environment

Environment

  • Queensland Drought Mitigation Centre - collaboration between Queensland and Commonwealth governments to facilitate the research, development and extension projects under the Drought Climate Adaptation Program.

Environment

Environment

  • Queensland State Planning Policy - considers matters pertaining to climate change adaptation and emissions mitigation.

Households

  • Affordable Energy Plan - more than $300m invested in pilots and programs to assist households in their efforts to reduce their energy use and costs which included the:
    • Solar for Rentals Trial
    • Interest-free Loans for Solar and Storage program
    • Business Energy Savers program.

Industry

  • Continue to support skills for the new economy. Continue to develop the government’s priority industries in aerospace, biofutures, defence, mining equipment, technology and services (METS), beef processing, resource recovery and superyachts.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing

  • Manufacturing Benchmark Program- assists manufacturers in comparing their businesses against national and global standards and understanding their opportunities to further develop their business.

Manufacturing

  • $30m investment into regional manufacturing hubs to support advanced manufacturing in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Gladstone.

Renewable Energy Development

Queensland Renewable Energy Zones (QREZ) - $145m committed including:

  • $40m transmission upgrades between Cairns and Townsville to support projects such as the Kaban Wind Farm
  • $20m to develop the state’s hydrogen and renewables manufacturing capacities
  • $22m for cost analysis and design of the pumped hydro project at Borumba Dam
  • $13m to broaden the scopes of studies and allow for an earlier investment decision to be made on the energy storage project at the Borumba Dam.

Renewable Energy Development

Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund - $4.5b boost committed, including:

  • funding for government owned corporations (GOCs) to increase ownership of commercial renewable energy and hydrogen projects (including in partnership with the private sector).

Renewable Energy Development

Genex pumped hydro project at Kidston - $147m

Renewable Energy Development

Queensland Hydrogen Taskforce - $2.6m

Renewable Energy Development

Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan (QEJP) which will include:

Renewable Energy Development

  • Prioritise investment in infrastructure, long-term development of the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project, development of Queensland Renewable Energy Zones (QREZ) zones and support for clean industries.

Renewable Energy Development

  • Complete technical and economic studies to supercharge domestic and renewable hydrogen hubs.

Renewable Energy Development

Renewable Energy Development

  • CleanCo Queensland has a target of support 1,000 MW of new renewable generation by 2025.

Renewable Energy Development

Renewable Energy Development

  • Renewables 400 program - identified the best projects to increase the state’s renewable energy supply and deliver 400 MW of new renewable energy and storage projects through the state.

Renewable Energy Development

  • Stanwell is partnering with Itwatani Corporation to progress a potential new export-scale hydrogen facility at Gladstone Port, with opportunities to create 5,000 jobs.

Renewable Energy Development

Renewable Energy Development

  • The Queensland Government partnered with Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) to commit to the development of the world’s largest hydrogen-equipment manufacturing facilities in Gladstone.

Renewable Energy Development

Research & Development

Research & Development

Resources

  • Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan:
    • actions supported by $68.5m of government investment over 5 years to support new economy minerals, circular economy in mining and the development of Queensland’s battery industry strategy.

Resources

  • New Economy Minerals Initiative - $13.8m across 5 years to:
    • invest in exploration activities to improve the scientific understanding of geosciences data needed by industry to locate and define mineral deposits
    • partner with UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute to develop sustainable methods of extracting rare earth elements
    • include how circular economy principles can be applied in mining.

Resources

Resources

  • Support onshore processing of new economy minerals, acceleration of resource recovery and associated manufacturing opportunities.

Resources

  • Explore opportunities to decarbonise the resource industry operations and the use of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) to assist decarbonising the economy.

Resources

  • Explore the development of a circular manufacturing industry.

Resources

Resources

Resources

Skills & Training

Skills & Training

  • $17m for a renewable energy training facility.

Skills & Training

Skills & Training

  • Gladstone State High School - $2m to upgrade training facilities at to prepare students for jobs in the hydrogen industry.

Skills & Training

Skills & Training

Skills & Training

  • Future Skills Fund - supports funding of modern infrastructure for TAFE Queensland (TAFEQ) campuses across Queensland to train in employment for areas such as robotics and advanced manufacturing.

Skills & Training

Skills & Training

Transport

Transport

Transport

Transport

Transport

Transport

  • Decarbonising the public transport network with each new urban bus by 2030 contracted requiring to be zero emissions.

Transport

  • Investing $7m to switch more than 35,000 lights on state roads to Smart LED Road Lighting.

Transport

  • Support for innovative companies, such as Tritium, to develop EV technology.

Contact the LEO network

Get in touch with your LEO network team member to learn about the economic opportunities available to you and how regional energy transformation can benefit your organisation.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Regional energy transformation describes the decarbonisation of regional economies that have traditionally relied on carbon-based energy sources, such as coal and oil, and are in the process of capturing opportunities to evolve into low-carbon economies.

  • Decarbonisation is the process of significantly reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. This includes the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from energy production, and from other activities undertaken by communities, businesses and households.

  • Historically, Queensland has relied on carbon-based industries, such as coal mining and coal-fired power stations as a source of electricity generation, employment and trade. Queensland’s economy is now shifting to diversify our energy mix and meet the challenges presented by climate related impacts.

    Decarbonisation is a global economic force and capturing the associated opportunities presents a new wave of economic growth for the state. Queensland’s expertise in mining,and rich, natural resources which are essential to developing a global low-emissions economy, have driven considerable investment interest. Increased global demand for critical minerals, hydrogen exports and biofuels production can be leveraged to grow regional economies.

    The Queensland Government, through the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, has committed to attaining 70% renewable energy by 2032 and 80% by 2035. As of November 2022, 22.7% of Queensland’s energy was produced from renewable energy sources. This means that there is considerable potential for Queensland further invest in renewable energy projects to decarbonise the state. Read more information about Queensland’s renewable energy target.

  • The LEO network is part of existing departmental delivery for regional offices and not subject to additional resources or discrete funding arrangements.

    It will improve whole of government coordination and information dissemination relating to industry and regional development. In addition, the increased engagement on decarbonisation is expected to leverage increased economic prosperity for communities.

  • A Transformation Working Group will be established to facilitate discussions and collaboration between the state and local governments. Its purpose is to discuss issues and opportunities for regional economic transformation and manage the opportunities and risks. This will help inform the operations of the LEO network and provide an avenue for issues to be escalated.

    The group will consist of members from Queensland Government departments and the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ). It will be chaired by the department’s Deputy Director-General, State Development Group.

Further resources

Decarbonisation stories in Queensland

Last updated: 01 Jun 2023