Rainforest Reserves Australia Media Statement 13.05.23

Labor’s new green hydrogen Bill definitely won’t safeguard our natural wonders

How do you see Queensland by the year 2035? A green utopia with clean air, pristine rivers, unbleached reef and highways completely silent as Teslas glide by? Or do you see wind turbines and solar panels on every horizon outside of Brisbane, covering our precious wilderness and arable farmland? Do you see an increase in extractive mineral mining to make the solar panels, wind turbines and lithium batteries, and fracking to supply us with gas to firm supply? The lack of foresight involved in the Queensland State Government’s Media Release on 9.05.23 regarding the new Gas supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 is frightening indeed. Released by Minister for Energy Mick de Brenni and Minister for Resources Scott Stewart, the statement details the new Bill will provide an easy pathway for renewable gas pipelines to gain approval, and that the nascent green hydrogen export industry will soon create 10,000 jobs and boost economic activity for Qld.

In reality, the green hydrogen push is threatening yet more of Queensland’s intact forests and quality agricultural landscapes. Queensland's "green" hydrogen industry doesn’t yet exist – and its success is based on speculation. The technology is in development, and the global market for green hydrogen looks a bit like guesswork, at best. Many high-profile renewables proponents, Dr Saul Griffith, think the idea of Australia exporting green hydrogen is terrible.

If the state and Federal governments have their way, soon renewable energy plants must produce electricity for both the domestic market and the new green hydrogen industry in Queensland. The scale of the spatial footprint required to build the renewable infrastructure that will power the hydrogen industry in Queensland is virtually unthinkable. Also troubling is the amount of water that “green” hydrogen requires to be made. Where will this water come from? We are already experiencing water scarcity - which will only get worse.

“The fact is, the transition to renewable electricity as well as the move to become a “global renewable superpower” is a giant experiment being figured out on the fly by the State Government. Multinational renewable corporations have the red carpet rolled out for them by Gov to move in and exploit our natural assets, only to make vast profits which then go offshore” states Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.

The disastrous result of the green hydrogen push will be thousands of hectares of Queensland’s unique biodiversity being destroyed for yet more wind and solar plants, as well as new gas pipelines. That we are destroying our stunning intact forest and killing Koalas, Greater Gliders and many other species to simply export “green” hydrogen, hurts the head and heart.

“Why should Queensland become a global “Green” hydrogen supplier when the land mass required to generate enough electricity just for domestic use is already massive? Not to mention the water that will be required to produce the green hydrogen – when water is at a premium. Is the decimation of intact wilderness, required to build so much solar and wind, and loss of carbon sequestration factored in when proponents call this hydrogen green? I very much doubt it.” States Carolyn Emms, President of Rainforest Reserves Australia.

“The Queensland State Government sees our unique wilderness as empty space, there just for foreign-owned renewables multinationals to clear and carpet with wind turbines or solar panels or pipelines. That this electricity will be used by multinational “green” hydrogen producers to ship hydrogen offshore is insane. The Government claims they are protecting our “Natural Wonders”. Utter rubbish! They are destroying our natural wonders to allegedly help other countries get to Net Zero and sacrificing our critically endangered Koalas and Greater Gliders along the way.”

Potential locations for green hydrogen developments canvassed by Government in Qld:
Townsville (NQ)
Abbot Point (NQ)
Mackay/Hay Point (NQ)
Gladstone (CQ)
Weipa (FNQ)
Karumba (FNQ)
Cape Flattery (FNQ)
Cairns – smaller scale hydrogen production is possible (FNQ)
Lucinda – smaller scale hydrogen production possible (FNQ)
Mourilyan (FNQ)
Rockhampton (CQ)
Brisbane (SEQ)
Bundaberg (SEQ)

“We are being bullied by the State Government into adopting a green hydrogen export policy that will result in more ecocide. Why should our native wildlife and wilderness pay the price for South Korea or Japan’s bid to get to “net zero”? There’s nothing green about this hydrogen.” states Emms.

“Queensland State Government’s decision to force “green” hydrogen for export upon us is undemocratic, much like the rollout of renewables here. We’ve had no discussion about this - it’s being rammed down our throats. We have not explored other energy solutions that might be less impactful. Nature is paying the price.” says Emms.