Queensland’s Energy Roadmap 2025 released

The Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025 (Roadmap) was released on Friday 10 October 2025. Following the election of the Crisafulli Government in October 2024, the Roadmap is the long-awaited plan for Queensland’s energy policy, representing a change in direction from the previous Labor Government’s 2022 Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

In this article, we discuss the key themes and policy shifts in the Roadmap.

1. Extended operating timeframes for state-owned coal assets

The central component of the Roadmap is a reset of the operating timeframes for state-owned coal assets at least to technical lives, with options to extend further into the future.

The Government has also committed to a clear framework for decisions around operating timeframes for state-owned coal assets, with a decision matrix that triangulates system need, asset integrity and economic viability.

The Roadmap also highlights the $1.6 billion Electricity Maintenance Guarantee, for the investment required to maintain state-owned coal, hydro and gas assets.

2. Responsible renewable energy development and engagement

The Roadmap repeats the Government’s commitment to repeal the renewable energy targets (50% by 2030; 70% by 2032 and 80% by 2035) set out in the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024 (Energy Jobs Act), but states that renewables will continue to be built in a responsible manner across the State to support demand growth as the operating profile of coal adjusts over time.

In place of the Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) framework under the Energy Jobs Act, there will be a new framework for Regional Energy Hubs. The hub declarations will be market-led, based on private sector interest and development activity, and aligned to community expectations, with a coordinated planning and development approach.

The Roadmap emphasises the need for social licence for renewables, highlighting the amendments made to the Planning Act to introduce the community benefit system. The Roadmap also reaffirms the delivery of a Code of Conduct (which has been provided for under the Electricity Act) to guide responsible behaviour and set expectations for renewable energy developers. The intent is that the Code “will reflect good industry practice and recommendations of peak bodies to provide clarity over expected developer conduct while aligning to requirements placed on other industries such as mining.”

3. Attracting investment through the QIC Investor Gateway

The Roadmap gives a greater role to QIC, establishing a QIC Investor Gateway as a new ‘front-door’ for investment in Queensland’s energy sector. The mandate for QIC is to attract private sector capital; match investor interest with the portfolio needs of the government owned corporations (GOCs) and market demand; and develop innovate approaches to blend finance and maximise whole-of-State outcomes.

The Roadmap introduces a $400 million Queensland Energy Investment Fund, managed by QIC to drive investment in renewables, gas and storage.

4. Supporting energy storage

The Roadmap acknowledges the system outlook requirements for storage capacity in an increasingly variable energy system, and notes the market interest and private sector investment in short to medium duration batteries in Queensland. Battery energy storage investments are identified as a key opportunity for private sector, including potential partnership with GOCs.

On pumped hydro, QIC will take responsibility for assessment of the State’s interest in the Mt Rawdon, Big T and Capricornia projects (as has already occurred with Borumba), including project delivery through to any potential final investment decisions. The QIC Investor Gateway will lead future investigation and investment partnerships with private sector on all prospective “smaller, more manageable” pumped hydro projects. The Roadmap reiterates the Government’s decision not to progress the Pioneer Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project.

The Roadmap notes the work of Energy Queensland in community batteries, and the Government’s $10 million partnership fund to incentivise private sector investment in community batteries.

5. Expanding gas-fired generation to support reliability

The state-owned generators are to continue to progress options to deliver new gas-fired generation.

QIC will undertake a Central Queensland Gas Power Tender through the Investor Gateway, as market sounding to partner with the private sector to deliver an additional 400MW of gas-fired generation capacity in central Queensland.

6. Delivering transmission infrastructure and the CopperString network

On transmission, the Roadmap confirms QIC’s role in delivering CopperString. QIC has released its CopperString Review, identifying a preferred approach to deliver the Eastern Link (from Townsville to Hughenden) at the original 330kV specification as a regulated asset, via a new regulated entity. The Roadmap identifies intended commercial operations of the Eastern Link by 2032 (subject to approvals). Works will commence at the Flinders Substation in 2025-2026 to connect new generation assets across the Hughenden Hub into the Eastern Link.

QIC will work with generators, developers, investors, and industry with a $200 million North West Energy Fund to partner with the private sector and support local generation and storage across Mt Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek and Richmond, to maximise the benefit of the Western Link in the future.

The Roadmap also notes the Gladstone Project, network upgrades and reinforcement in Central Queensland being undertaken by Powerlink. These upgrades are needed to enable the transition of power assets such as the Gladstone Power Station (Queensland’s oldest coal fired power station, which is privately operated and has a potential retirement date of March 2029) with new energy sources while maintaining system strength and reliability.

The Roadmap states that Queensland is committed to the Priority Transmission Investment framework and Regional Energy Hubs to progress critical transmission infrastructure in an efficient and effective matter.

Policy direction

The Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025 represents a significant change from the previous Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and its policy to convert all publicly owned coal-fired power stations into clean energy hubs by 2035.

For the resources and energy sector, the Roadmap marks a shift toward a more market-led, investment-driven transition, with the focus of the energy GOCs to be their existing assets and core business activities. The Roadmap signals new opportunities for private investment into Queensland’s energy infrastructure.