Work has started on one of Australia’s first regional green power zones. 

Barcaldine, Australia is set to become the site of the country's first regional zero-emission business development, known as the Barcaldine Renewable Energy Zone (BREZ). 

Spearheaded by the Barcaldine Regional Council, the Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD), and Sunshot Industries, the project has secured $7 million in funding from the state budget, along with an additional $1 million from the Barcaldine Regional Council. 

The funds will facilitate the construction of vital infrastructure such as roads, water, and sewerage, signalling the readiness for development to commence.

Sunshot Industries anticipates that the BREZ will generate 500 direct ongoing jobs in various industries, including protected horticulture, waste energy, tyre recycling, hydrogen production, urea production, and cosmetics. 

The precinct aims to establish its initial businesses by the end of this year.

A crucial aspect of the sustainable vision for the BREZ is fostering a symbiotic relationship between the enterprises within the zone, where one company's waste becomes another's valuable resource. 

While past renewable energy projects in the outback have fallen short of expectations, Barcaldine Mayor Sean Dillon asserts that the BREZ will be different. 

The participating businesses are not startups; instead, they bring established and proven business models to a location with affordable power. 

As energy costs significantly impact manufacturing and food production, the precinct's access to cheap power positions the Barcaldine region to benefit from new industries reliant on green energy and low-emission environments.