The Queensland agriculture sector will now have greater access to information and a streamlined opportunity to provide input into the state’s renewable energy transition.
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has established a new role – the Energy Engagement and Education Advisor (EEEA) – to facilitate meaningful engagement and improve awareness across Queensland’s agriculture sector to support the development of policy, projects and initiatives in relation to renewable energy.
Supported by Powerlink, the EEEA will act as a key link between the energy sector and QFF’s 18 peak body members and the 13,000 primary producers they represent throughout regional Queensland.
The EEEA will support peak body members to identify and leverage opportunities relating to agriculture and the renewable energy transition, as well as to raise and mitigate risks facing the sector.
QFF CEO Jo Sheppard said the scale and pace of the renewable energy transition continues to accelerate and getting coexistence with agricultural land and partnerships with regional communities right is crucial.
“It is so important that the perspectives of farmers across the state are understood and appropriately considered as we continue to work our way through Queensland’s expanding remit of renewable energy” Ms Sheppard said.
“The transition will bring changes to the agricultural landscape, and it is important that Queensland’s world class food, fibre and foliage production and farming enterprises are not adversely impacted by this transition and, that farmers are supported to make informed decisions.”
“We look forward to working and engaging with our peak body members and the energy sector to ensure agriculture is well represented and key opportunities and challenges are addressed and this new role gives QFF additional capacity to carry out this important work.”
Powerlink Chief Executive Paul Simshauser said support for the role continued the strong relationship between QFF and Powerlink.
“We are proud of the long-standing relationship we have with QFF. Supporting this role will only strengthen that relationship over the coming years,” Mr Simshauser said.
“Together we identified the need to improve the way that information flows between the energy and agricultural sectors.
“There is a lot of misinformation about the energy transformation and we want people to be making decisions based on factual information coming from a trusted source.
“The success of the energy transformation relies on greater engagement between the energy and agricultural sectors. This role will help drive greater collaboration.”
Powerlink has provided an initial three-year commitment to support the role until 30 June 2027.
QFF have also recently established the Energy Information Service for Landholders (EISL), a phone service in partnership with the Queensland Government to provide farmers with up-to-date information on a range of energy matters including on-farm energy savings opportunities, hosting renewable energy infrastructure, tariffs, and other energy related enquiries.
The service operates from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5pm. To contact the EISL call 07 3329 750.
