Studies have identified 14 potential pumped hydro sites in Queensland.
The government believes new hydroelectricity plants could generate enough electricity by the end of the decade to cover Queensland’s daily electricity demand of more than seven gigawatts.
A pumped hydro plant generates electricity by allowing water to fall from one higher dam to a second lower dam through turbines. The water is collected and “pumped up” again to run through the turbines.
Standing in front of Lake Wivenhoe’s Splityard Creek Dam,Dick said the higher dams acted as giant “batteries” for pumped hydroelectricity.
“During the day,we are producing more renewable energy than we need,and we pump water from Wivenhoe Dam up to this dam,” he said.