The Queensland Government has launched its Cleantech Industry Development Strategy, setting out measures to support the environmental services, green building and materials, clean energy, resource recovery and recycling, sustainable transport, and water and wastewater management sectors.

 

Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business Jan Jarratt said cleantech was one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, with the global market for environmental products and services predicted to double to US$2740 billion by 2020.

 

 “Queensland’s cleantech industry is already delivering real economic returns to the State, generating more than $3.1 billion annually and employing over 12,500 people,” she said.

 

There are an estimated 1200 companies in the sector in Queensland, primarily small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a strong focus on services, although 20 per cent of businesses also manufacture products.

 

The Cleantech Industry Development Strategy aims to Increase by 50 per cent the proportion of Queensland businesses undertaking R&D or innovation by 2020; to help Queensland’s cleantech industry grow its revenue by 20 per cent over the next five years;  and to create an additional 2,500 jobs.

 

Amongst actions to be undertaken under the strategy are:

 

  • Further profile and market Queensland’s cleantech industry as a leading source of smart and sustainable solutions for tackling climate change and other global environmental pressures such as water security.

 

  • Maintain and expand the Government sponsored directory of Queensland cleantech businesses and increase awareness of the directory in business and customer settings.

 

  • Assist Queensland cleantech firms export overseas by identifying the export capabilities of Queensland suppliers, providing export assistance and international business matching, and leading inbound and outbound trade missions with a specific focus on cleantech.

 

  • Resurvey the Queensland cleantech industry every two years to chart industry growth and provide a base for industry development planning.

 

  • Undertake a study in partnership with industry stakeholders to identify areas where future investments in R&D and/or demonstration projects may be required to support the emerging resource recovery and recycling industry in Queensland.

 

  • Assist cleantech manufacturing firms adopt world-class, sustainable practices and processes through initiatives such as the Queensland Government’s sustainable manufacturing toolbox and ecoBiz.

 

  • Profile world-class green buildings and precincts developed in Queensland - such as the Joint Contact Centre at Zillmere - as models of sustainable and resilient development and local industry capability.

 

  • Provide Queensland Government demonstration sites to showcase selected green building solutions developed by Queensland companies.

 

  • Work with industry stakeholders to establish a Queensland Resource Recovery and Recycling Network to streamline the adoption of market-leading technologies in the rapidly emerging Queensland resource recovery and recycling sector, including solutions developed or adapted in Queensland.

 

  • Nurture emerging cleantech firms through the roll-out of the Cleantech Enterprise Pipeline 2 (CEP2) - an expanded program for cleantech SMEs that will facilitate commercialisation of technologies and services by improving business skills and access to investment and commercial opportunities.

  • Conduct cleantech Tendering for Government Business Workshops that will inform local cleantech businesses about tendering and prequalification requirements.

  • Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation to convene round-table meetings of relevant Government agencies every three months to coordinate existing and planned Queensland Government cleantech industry initiatives.

 

The Queensland Cleantech Industry Development Strategy is available at http://www.industry.qld.gov.au/key-industries/742.htm