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What jobs will be required to drive Queensland’s renewable energy sector?

The shift to renewable energy has begun and will create a large variety of jobs for decades to come. The people who will fill these jobs might currently be at school, early in their career or looking to make a career change.  A wide range of skills are easily transferred to jobs required in the renewable energy sector meaning there will be many opportunities for those already in the workforce to make the switch.

Queensland’s regions will be at the forefront of opportunities from the creation of the state’s SuperGrid that will provide clean, reliable and affordable power. The SuperGrid will bring all elements of the electricity system together to deliver 50% renewable energy by 2030, 70% by 2032 and 80% by 2035. Approximately 95% of SuperGrid infrastructure investment and 70% of employment is projected to be in regional areas.

These targets could support up to 100,000 direct and indirect new jobs with high demand for electrical trades, engineering, construction workers, technicians and more.

Queensland’s renewable energy sector needs

• technically skilled workers to design, install and operate renewable energy systems.
• trades people and technicians to operate and maintain large scale wind, solar and battery assets
• installers for home and business rooftop solar and batteries

We’ll need more skilled people working to install more wind turbines, build pumped hydro facilities and upgrade the transmission and distribution networks.

Queensland also needs highly skilled corporate professionals for community liaison, commercial trading and project management roles, just to name a few.

The range of emerging technologies in the renewable energy sector means that new specialist jobs will also be created such as battery engineers and chemists, circular energy system designers, remanufacturing technicians and energy traders.

Learn more about the opportunities available now and in the decades to come: Future Energy Jobs Guide (publications.qld.gov.au)

How is the Queensland Government supporting the continued development of the clean energy workforce?

Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap

The Clean Energy Workforce Roadmap was launched in 2023. It provides direction to further develop Queensland’s highly skilled workforce to support the growth of the state’s clean- energy industry. It identifies three focus areas.

• build our future workforce by providing training
• partner with industry to mobilise our existing talent and transition and upskill where necessary, and
• prepare our regions for growth through workforce planning and building supply chain capability.

Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan

The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan outlines Queensland’s pathway to a clean, reliable and affordable energy system to provide power for generations. It indicates how much new infrastructure for each technology is required by 2035 to meet our renewable energy targets and make sure electricity supply is reliable and affordable.  The delivery of the plan will support 100,000 new jobs, mostly in regional communities.

Training facilities

The Queensland Government is investing more than $50 million in state-of-the-art hydrogen and renewable-energy training facilities. This includes:

• $20 million for Stage 2 upgrades to the industry-led Queensland Apprenticeships Centre, featuring a new Hydrogen Training Centre of Excellence at Beenleigh. The Centre was officially opened in November 2022 and features upgraded green gas training equipment, lower carbon technology upgrades and state-of-the-art training facilities to support construction trades.
• $17 million to build the Pinkenba Renewable Energy Training Facility. The training facility was opened in October 2022 and will be used for training apprentices and qualified electricians to install, operate and manage solar and other renewable energy equipment safely.
• $13.2 million to build a hydrogen and renewable energy training facility for training in renewable energy such as hydrogen, solar and wind at the Bohle Trade Training TAFE in Townsville. The project was completed in March 2024.
• $2 million to upgrade facilities at Gladstone State High School to prepare students for jobs in the hydrogen industry.

Queensland businesses behind our renewable energy transformation

Queensland’s renewable energy transformation is taking advantage of our abundant renewable energy sources, like sun and wind.

Behind our state’s energy transformation are real businesses with real stories. Read how they and their networks are starting to benefit from the transition to renewable energy.

Endua

Endua is a South East Queensland business focusing on empowering industries to achieve self-sufficient, sustainable, cost-effective energy by harnessing renewables to their fullest potential. The business designs technologies that utilise renewable energy to its fullest including a ‘plug and play’ electrolyser solution for on-site generation of green hydrogen and the Endua power bank, a scalable and versatile energy storage technology empowering remote industries with a cleaner power alternative.

Endua’s unique approach is focused on making it possible to produce hydrogen where it is needed, when it is needed, even at smaller scales - eliminating the need for long-distance transportation and reducing the associated costs and environmental impacts. On-site production of hydrogen allows businesses to have full control of their own hydrogen supply chain.

Head of Growth and Business Development Tim Latimer says, “We really want to share the message of the opportunity that’s in front of us from a renewables perspective, and make those unaware of where they can contribute and where they can participate into the transition of renewables in our grid.”

Central Queensland University

Central Queensland University’s Centre of Hydrogen and Renewable Research was developed to provide world-class research, training and support to the emerging hydrogen and renewable energy industries in Central Queensland. Its overarching strategy is to champion the creation of a robust regional clean energy and hydrogen manufacturing value chain in Central Queensland, to bolster and uplift local industries and drive further economic growth.

The centre is also looking at the training and workforce development requirements that will ensure Queensland has a workforce ready to support the bold ambitions of government and industry.

Paul Hodgson, Director of the Centre of Hydrogen and Renewable Research, is championing its vision of cultivating world-class expertise to empower industry partners and clients as they embrace the transition to hydrogen and other clean energy. Paul says, “There will be huge opportunities in renewable energy for decades to come and I am looking to inspire and excite people about getting involved.”

Industry Capability Network

The Industry Capability Network (ICN) has been around for 40 years, connecting Australian and New Zealand suppliers to major projects.  ICN helps projects access the best capabilities available and on the other hand, helps the supply chain access these opportunities, contributing to economic prosperity and job creation for local communities.

Abhi Arora, Executive Director for ICN Queensland says, “We have an extensive database of local companies where we encourage all companies to register. We then create a platform where opportunities from major project proponents in the renewable industry are listed and that platform provides a strong connection between local companies and project proponent suppliers.”

Queensland Gaskets

Queensland Gaskets is a manufacturing business located in Brisbane, manufacturing components and parts for a variety of industries, particularly the renewables sector. Often, they supply to other businesses that form the renewables supply chain.

Says Carl Quarterman, owner and Managing Director of the Queensland Gaskets, “The supply chain is really important because it’s an opportunity for many businesses to be part of delivering Queensland’s renewable energy targets and participating in the sector, including small to medium enterprises.”

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