Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan wants a new coal-fired power station built in Queensland, despite the state's insistence it would prefer greener solutions.

Mr Canavan said there was no base-load power generated north of Rockhampton, in central Queensland, and the power and economic needs of the north needed to be secured.

Flagged sites included the mouth of the Galilee basin or at the now idle Collinsville power station.

Mr Canavan said it was hypocritical for Queensland to be opposed to be coal-fired stations, considering its exports.

"The Queensland government is happy to export coal and make billions of dollars for their budget from royalties for coal," he said.

"It's okay to burn that coal in other countries but not here apparently in Queensland.

"That is absurd.

"Why would we send a valuable economic resource to another country to use but not even consider using it ourselves?

Hundreds of Yabulu refinery workers lost their job when the company, near Townsville, went into administration last year. ( AAP: Andrew Rankin )

"I think the people of north Queensland want the same kind of benefits people in southern Australia get from having base-load power."

Mr Canavan said the region's economic future was dependent on the generation of the station, adding it could also help Clive Palmer's Yabulu refinery re-open.

"At least Clive only wrecked one refinery in Townsville, there are six other refineries and smelters that need cheap power to stay alive and local is the answer there."

Mr Canavan said state plans — announced on the weekend — to build a hydro-electric power station in the Burdekin Falls Dam, south of Townsville, would not be enough.

"It is a tiny power station," Mr Canavan said.

An artist's impression of the proposed solar farm that will stretch over 5,000 hectares near Millmerran, in southern Queensland. ( Supplied: Solar Choice )

Queensland's Energy Minister Mark Bailey said a new coal fired power station in the north would be expensive, bad for the reef and climate change.

He said Queensland was opposed to any new coal power, and the focus was on clean energy sources.

Solar farms were to be built in Townsville, the Darling Downs, Oakey and Longreach.

Mr Bailey said solar is reliable in north Queensland and baseload demand can be run off that.

Furthermore, battery technology is becoming more economical - costs are dropping 7 per cent a year.

"[The Federal Government is] out of touch and don't care enough about climate change nor the economics of large scale renewables being cheaper now to build than new power stations," Mr Bailey said.

"What they need to be doing is getting behind the clean energy movement in Queensland — that's the future.

"The last thing we need though is a new coal power station which will lock in high carbon emissions for a generation and a half cooking the reef."