Concerns raised over Qld's call-in process for assessing renewable projects

Renewable energy advocates say increased government intervention in wind farms projects could threaten private sector investment as Queensland works out how to best support the growth of data centres in Australia.The Queensland government is in the process of using special "call-in" powers to assess at least three renewable energy projects across the state, after cancelling the Moonlight Range Wind Farm in Central Queensland in May 2025.The projects being assessed are the Bouldercombe Battery Energy Storage System near Rockhampton and two proposed projects on the Western Downs: the Marmadua Energy Park and the Middle Creek Energy Hub.The Western Downs projects are in the same region as the proposed $32 billion data centre, the Western Downs Digital Park, near the town of Dalby, about four hours' drive west of Brisbane.The concept model of a large-scale data centre project that has been proposed for the Western Downs. (Supplied: Urbis)Local federal member and Nationals MP David Littleproud has also called on the Queensland government to intervene in the federally approved $1.5 billion Tarong West Wind Farm proposed further north in the South Burnett region.This has raised concern in the Renewable Energy Alliance. National director Andrew Bray said the state government's enthusiasm for the exceptional powers could be a roadblock for investment in energy projects."Anything that brings in that level of uncertainty just makes it much harder for communities to get their head around," he said.Mr Bray, whose organisation advocates for the use of renewable energy to strengthen regional areas, said communities were calling for more clarity about the approval of projects and said call-ins could cloud that process."Once a planning approval is given, then let's go ahead with it. If it's not, then we can move on to something else," he said.Andrew Bray says both regional communities and investors simply want clarity when it comes to the approval process for wide scale energy projects. (Picture: ABC Southern Qld/Aisling Brennan )Mr Littleproud said while he was "not against renewables", the Tarong West Wind Farm should be scrapped, citing concern from communities about the workers camp and the project.While calling for a duplication of Cogan Creek Power Station to support the Western Downs Digital Park, he said renewable projects should not "litter the landscape" and take "away our food security".He suggested a range of options should be on the table to manage the energy demands of hyper-scale data centres."I think we've got the opportunity to get this right with baseload power, gas, coal, nuclear — if we're brave enough, and I think we should be brave enough — and put all the options on the table because this is the new frontier," Mr Littleproud said."This is the next industrial revolution. We can't put our heads in the sand and go, 'This is all going to go away.' It's not."Two wind turbines projects on the Western Downs have been called-in by the state government to assess whether they go ahead or not. (ABC News: Nathan Morris)Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki said the state government was committed to renewable energy projects, adding that Queensland had more large-scale wind and solar projects committed to than anywhere else in Australia.Mr Janetzki said the state's energy plan was "all about the getting the balance right" between coal, gas and private-sector-investment renewable projects, which included the Tarong West Wind Farm."We've got applications processes and we've given the community a chance to have their say, and that's an important process," he said."We're open for business and that means renewable in the private sector and that's an important thing to make clear."That shows we have a balanced approach and that'll be our approach for any future data centre proposals."There has been extensive CSG development in Queensland's Western Downs region. (Supplied: Google Earth)Queensland University of Technology adjunct associate professor John Mickel compared the current tension about energy projects to the lengthy debate about the New Hope coal mining development near Oakey, about 125 kilometres west of Brisbane."That was held up for years [because of] trying to balance community concerns with the coal mining company on that occasion," Dr Mickel, a former Labor MP, said."And in the early days of the gas industry, there was tension. And there's still current tension with some communities, some farming areas and gas companies."But Dr Mickel said projects called in by the minister had often already gone through complex local, state or federal approval, which could leave those impacted feeling uncertain about their future."Any uncertainty when a major investment is underway raises the risk for the project and, therefore, the capital to invest in those things also rises," he said.