Businesses have been asking labourers to down tools and scrambling to source electricians as a new rule impacts solar farm construction in Queensland, the Clean Energy Council says.
Council director of energy generation Anna Freeman said the new regulation – which will apply to projects of 100kW or more – had been brought in with virtually no consultation and very little warning.
The new regulations required licensed electrical workers to perform tasks such as lifting, mounting and fixing unplugged solar panels.
“The mounting of electrical equipment is not even classed as electrical work under the state Electrical Safety Act (2002), and it could easily be performed by local labourers and trades assistants as it has to date,” Ms Freeman said.
“This new regulation is like requiring university librarians to be fully qualified professors, or cafe wait staff to be qualified chefs. It’s absurd.”
Ms Freeman said solar projects would be delayed where electricians could not be sourced, exposing businesses to hefty penalty payments.
“The higher costs associated with imposing this change mean that investment in Queensland will slow and some investment decisions will be shelved. We have already been told by a number of our members that their projects now look more uncertain due to this new regulation,” she said.
Announcing the new regulations last month, Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace described it as a matter of putting safety first in the booming renewables industry.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to achieving 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030,” Ms Grace said.
“As a result, we’ve seen unprecedented growth in the number of commercial solar farms in Queensland and that means jobs for installers.
“These new regulations are all about ensuring we keep pace with new and emerging technologies and keep workers safe.”
Ms Grace said stakeholders were concerned about unlicensed workers such as backpackers and labourers mounting and removing live solar panels.
National Electrical and Communications Association Executive Director Peter Lamont said at the time that the changes would make the solar industry safer.
“The mounting, locating, fixing, earthing and removing of solar panels at solar farms is dangerous work and it should not be undertaken by unlicensed workers. We fully support the new changes,” Mr Lamont said.
The Queensland Resources Council has thrown down the gauntlet to the Palaszczuk Government, seeking a firm backing for the mining sector. The State Government must immediately reaffirm its support for the resource industry and resource jobs, with a commitment for long-term royalty stability and a fair go for all projects, QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said. Mr Macfarlane said the messa...
An Adani Mining boss has accused the Queensand Premier and Deputy Premier of failing to listen to the community concerns highlighted by the weekend election result. Chief executive Lucas Dow said the company had been overwhelmed by the wave of support from Queenslanders over the past months. “If the Queensland Labor Premier and Deputy Premier take nothing else from this weekend, let’s hope...
More than 13,000 tonnes of ore have been mined from the Agate Creek gold project, owner Laneway Resources reports. The company brought the project into production quickly, achieving the first gold pour within 10 weeks of the mining lease being granted. First ore was fed into the crushing circuit of Maroon’s Blackjack gold processing plant at Charters Towers on April 17 and the first gold wa...
The Federal election result is a win for regional jobs, particularly in the big resources states of Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia, says the Minerals Council of Australia. Chief executive officer Tania Constable said the Coalition government’s strategic economic reform agenda to keep taxes low, in conjunction with responsible 2019-20 Budget measures, provided opportunities f...
Anglo American is teaming up with a key Indigenous group as it launches into exploration programs at new sites in North-West Queensland. The company was recently granted permits to explore about 7300sq km in an area south of Mount Isa and west of Boulia. Anglo American said it had formed a partnership of up to five years with the Pitta Pitta Aboriginal Corporation, on behalf of the Pitta P...
Regional Queensland has sent politicians a very strong message that opening up the Galilee Basin is vitally important, says Townsville Enterprise chief executive officer Patricia O’Callaghan. She was commenting after the Coalition – and a clear commitment on coal’s future – came out on top in the seats of Herbert, Dawson, Capricornia and Flynn “This has been...
Queensland has shone at this year’s Planning Institute Australia National Awards for Planning Excellence, with three key category wins. They included Cairns-based Dr Sharon Harwood, who was named Planner of the Year for her outstanding leadership and contribution to advancing planning for indigenous people and regional communities in Far North Queensland. Dr Sharon Harwood. Toow...
The achievements of the Mackay region’s mining services sector came under the spotlight last night when more than 300 people attended the 2019 Resource Industry Network Awards. The 2019 winners were: Safety Foremost Award – QCCS Champion Culture Award – Mastermyne Connecting in the Community Award – Bank of Queensland Mackay City Chasing Foreign Markets ...
Now
