Three make shortlist for Julia Creek renewables project
QEM has shortlisted three bids to develop, own and operate the massive 1 gigawatt solar and wind farm at its Julia Creek vanadium project.
The shortlist is Acciona Energia, Enel Green Power and a joint bid from Origin and Energy Estate.
Commercial negotiations on what would be one of the state’s biggest renewable energy farms would start this month.
QEM said it had received strong interest in bidding for the project which would not only deliver energy to the proposed mine but also hook into the $5 billion CopperString transmission line linking Mt Isa to Townsville and the national grid.
QEM managing director Gavin Loyden said the company had prioritised the design and development of the renewables project with the primary objective of obtaining cheaper electricity for the Julia Creek vanadium project.
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He said the State Government had forecast that it would need 25GW of renewable energy by 2035. There was currently only 6GW.
“Critical minerals like vanadium are vital for the global transition to clean energy. The opportunity for QEM and the broader North West Minerals Province is to harness the region’s wind and solar resource above the ground to explore, develop and refine the critical minerals under it,” Loyden said.
Vanadium from the planned mine at Julia Creek was aimed at the grid-scale battery market. Vanadium is also used to strengthen steel.
