The Smart Energy Council has strongly criticized the Queensland Energy Roadmap, calling it a step backward for both consumers and the state’s clean energy ambitions.
In a statement released today, Chief Executive John Grimes said the newly announced roadmap “will increase Queensland consumers’ energy bills and damage the national capacity to respond to climate change for decades to come.”
“Make no mistake, when coal and gas win, consumers pay,” Grimes stated, emphasizing that ageing coal-fired generation and costly gas production remain unreliable and unsustainable options.
He added that “there is nothing cheap, or clean, about coal and gas,” noting that Queenslanders already understand the benefits of renewable energy — the state holds one of the highest solar PV uptake rates in the world.
According to the Council, the roadmap risks locking Queensland into “the highest-cost, most polluting sources of energy generation,” while taxpayers will bear the burden of increased investment in gas production, infrastructure, and continued coal support.
The organization also highlighted that the plan runs counter to clear market and consumer signals favoring renewable energy investment.
“Queenslanders’ record uptake of solar PV and batteries, along with pushback from major players such as Rio Tinto, show this is the wrong path for Queensland and Australia,” Grimes said. “This is a rear-vision roadmap of where we’ve been, not where we must go.”
The Council reiterated its call for Queensland to prioritize cheaper, cleaner, and future-focused energy solutions, aligning with investor and consumer demand for rapid decarbonization.
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