| Title | Geothermal energy legislation developments in Queensland |
|---|---|
| Authors | Melissa Zillmann and Myria Makras |
| Year | 2010 |
| Conference | Australian Geothermal Energy Conference |
| Keywords | Queensland, geothermal energy legislation, geothermal production, production threshold, geothermal exploration, Geothermal Energy Act 2010, Geothermal Exploration Act 2004 |
| Abstract | The Geothermal Energy Act 2010 (the Act) was passed by the Queensland Parliament in August 2010. The Act has been primarily established to provide a regulatory framework for the production of geothermal energy. On commencement, the Act will repeal the current Geothermal Exploration Act 2004 (the Exploration Act) which solely regulates geothermal exploration. The new Act largely duplicates the current exploration legislation, however experience and feedback gained from operation of the Exploration Act has led to some beneficial changes to the exploration regime. Importantly the Act introduces a regulatory regime for geothermal production which will enable geothermal exploration permit holders to progress to a production tenure when a suitable geothermal resource has been identified. This paper outlines the key changes to the exploration regime and the framework for geothermal production included in the Act. |