The Queensland government has abolished its legislated renewable energy goals, local media reported, prompting immediate criticism from environmentalists and concerns within the industry regarding the state's investment attractiveness.

State parliament voted on December 10 to revoke legally binding targets that mandated 70% renewable electricity by 2032 and 80% by 2035. This action fulfills a core election commitment of the Crisafulli administration, which had previously characterized the benchmarks as inflexible, unrealistic, and a potential driver of higher power costs for consumers.

Officials stated that removing these targets would prioritize affordability and reliability in the energy transition. A central component of this revised approach involves extending the operational life of coal-fired power plants. While no definitive closure data was set for coal, analysis from the Australian Energy Market Operator earlier this week suggested the policy could prolong coal generation until 2049.

Environmental advocates described the policy reversal as a significant setback for national decarbonization efforts, warning it could decelerate clean energy deployment in a resource-rich state.

Investment in renewables across Australia has already slowed, attributed to escalating construction expenses, regulatory delays, and community opposition to large-scale wind and solar-powered electricity generation.

Stephanie Gray, a campaigner for the Queensland Conservation Council, stated that the repeal dealt a severe blow to the energy transition, arguing the government was directing public funds toward fossil fuels instead of clean energy.

She referenced recent reports from the Australian Energy Market Operator and Commission indicating that delays in renewable and storage infrastructure would increase costs due to the aging and unreliability of existing coal plants.

Clean energy developers expressed similar concerns, noting that the decision creates uncertainty and may prompt a reevaluation of planned investments. Once considered a highly favorable market for renewables, Queensland has seen several major project approvals rescinded and regulatory hurdles raised since the current government took office.

Insiders noted this had diminished Queensland's standing compared to New South Wales as a development destination and sends a negative signal to investors.

Any reduction in Queensland's renewable capacity would adversely impact the national transition, given the state's optimal conditions for solar and storage expansion. This poses a challenge to the federal target of sourcing 82% of electricity from renewables by 2030, a key element in meeting Australia's 2030 emission reduction pledge of 43%.

A senior energy figure stated that developers would now doubt future projects in Queensland. Analysts added that retreating from the targets could strain the eastern electricity grid, as Queensland was anticipated to compensate for reducing coal-fired generation in NSW and Victoria over the next decade. Without a clear policy, renewable project growth may falter.

The state opposition condemned the decision, asserting it threatens jobs in new industries and disregards climate impacts already evident in northern Australia.