Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said the falling costs of solar had drawn huge interest from construction companies and major financiers. Credit: Twitter

Queensland is currently the leading Australian state for large-scale solar development and is pushing the country towards another record year, according to Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton.

Thornton said that during 2018, a total of 20 projects were actively under construction, would soon start or had already been completed in the state.

He added: “Across the country, projects which are under construction, completed or have secured financial commitment add up to AU$5 billion in investment, with Queensland investments contributing more than half – 52%, or AU$2.6 billion. All up, large-scale solar activity in the state adds up to almost 2,670 direct jobs and 1,400MW of new clean energy.

“Large-scale solar has gone from an emerging technology in Australia at the beginning of the decade to a genuinely game-changing form of power that is cheaper than new coal or gas. It has exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic predictions."

Thornton said the falling costs of solar had drawn huge interest from construction companies and major financiers.

A council in Queensland recently confirmed receipt of a planning application for a 1.5GW solar farm, with provision for battery energy storage, from Sunshine Energy Australia.