Workers unlikely to be winners from green energy
Climate Chance and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, the Greens, trade unions, and enthusiasts for renewable energy like to talk up its potential to create thousands of well-paid, stable jobs. New Parliamentary Library research, however, commissioned by Queensland LNP MP and former resources minister Keith Pitt questions the assumption that the Albanese government’s plan to make Australia a “renewable energy superpower” will create new jobs and shield regional economies, and suggests that is unlikely to be the case.
As little as 3 per cent of jobs at eight prominent renewables projects – valued about $22bn and bankrolled by multinational companies, global banks, governments and sovereign wealth funds – are expected to be permanent and ongoing, according to the research. As Geoff Chambers and Greg Brown report, the analysis shows that across renewables projects in Queensland, Victoria and NSW, around 5060 construction jobs will be created, compared with 162 to 171 permanent and operational jobs when the turbines, solar panels and pumped hydro are installed. The wind, solar, hydro and battery projects will cover almost 102,000 hectares and generate up to 6387MW.
Concern about permanent jobs in the renewables sector comes as Anthony Albanese is under pressure from unions and Labor members to adopt a 2035 emissions reduction target of more than 70 per cent after new Queensland Premier Steven Miles unveiled a goal to lower emissions by 75 per cent of 2005 levels by 2035. Electrical Trades Union national secretary Michael Wright said it was important the government’s next interim target should not be below the major states. The Queensland target is broadly in line with the 2035 goal of NSW (70 per cent) and Victoria (75-80 per cent).
The job concerns have arisen a few weeks after Mr Bowen announced an expansion of the government’s Capacity Investment Scheme, which will involve taxpayers underwriting a fivefold increase in new government-backed renewables capacity across the continent. Despite the paying public’s right to know, he provided no costings, for commercial-in-confidence reasons. At COP28, Mr Bowen was a leading proponent of the world moving on from fossil fuels. But in addition to the cost to taxpayers, the impact of green energy on jobs, including in the regions and on food production, needs to be taken into account as the cost benefits of wind and solar power, and thousands of kilometres of transmission lines, are assessed.