Queensland's new solar farms. Credit:ARENA Queensland's Energy Minister Mark Bailey - in Sydney for the announcement - said the six new solar farms would create "500 direct jobs and hundreds more indirectly" in Queensland. Australia-wide it is estimated the 12 projects could create 2300 jobs. "Regional economies will benefit massively from the growing big solar industry, with 2300 direct jobs and thousands more indirect jobs expected to be created by this round," Mr Bailey said. Australia-wide, the 12 solar plants – when they are operating - will triple Australian energy output from solar energy from 240 megawatts to 720 megawatts.

The six Queensland projects will ultimately generate enough power to power 120,000 Queensland homes. The successful Queensland projects, with the ARENA funding, are: Origin Energy's 107 megawatt Darling Downs Solar Farm at Dalby ($20 million).

Whitsunday Solar Farm's 58 megawatt solar farm at Collinsville ($9.5 million).

Genex Power's 50 megawatt Kidson Solar Farm, west of Townsville, recycling the old gold mine ($8.9 million).

Ratch Australia's 42 megawatt Collinsville Solar Power Station at Collinsville ($9.5 million).

Canadian Solar's 25 megawatt Oakey Solar Farm at Oakey ($2.2 million).

Canadian Solar's 15 megawatt Longreach Solar Farm at Longreach ($1.3 million). ARENA chief executive Ivor Frischknecht said Australia's "big solar" plants were now coming of age and ARENA's financial support meant they were "a competitive, sustainable energy option". "They will provide enough energy to power 150,000 average Australian homes and deliver one tenth of the new capacity required to meet Australia's 2020 renewable energy target," Mr Frischknecht said.

Mr Bailey said the funding would kickstart projects providing 300 megawatts of renewable energy, boost investment by $500 million, creating more than 2300 jobs in regional Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was delighted Australia's largest solar farm was being built at Dalby on the Darling Downs. "I am proud that the largest solar farm in Australia will now be located on the Darling Downs, and that two of the three largest solar farms will be located in Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said. "We truly have transitioned from the Sunshine State, to the Solar State." Mr Bailey said the Whitsunday, Kidston, Oakey and Longreach solar farms have also secured state government support by winning long-term contracts to provide power.

He said this support lowered the cost of providing large-scale solar projects by reducing problems with commercial viability. He questioned the impact of proposed changes by the federal government to reduce overall funding to ARENA. "Under the Turnbull government's plan, ARENA will lose $1.3 billion and all chances of further nation building, competitive grants programs like those announced today," Mr Bailey said. Companies have also applied for funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation' solar energy program. Queensland senator Larissa Waters said the success of Queensland's solar project applications showed the planned cuts to ARENA's funding would be felt worst in regional Queensland.

Senator Waters said Australian Conservation Foundation research showed 1172 Queensland jobs could be produced by the projects. "Today's funding announcement from ARENA shows that cutting clean energy grants would be irresponsible and stupid," Senator Waters said. "This money will mean 1,172 direct jobs will be created in regional Queensland, many in areas affected by the decline of the coal and gas industry." Shadow energy spokesman Michael Hart welcomed the investment in renewable energy, but questioned if it would mean higher power bills, an issue he said is raised by the Productivity Commission. "Since May, Labor has refused to release the final report from the Queensland Productivity Commission on the impacts of their renewable energy target, which begs the question - what do they have to hide?"

Mr Bailey said funding solar energy projects would not increase power bills. Mr Frischknecht said ARENA's funding – to date – had significantly cut the set-up costs of large-scale solar electricity plants. "When we announced the round in September last year we expected $100 million of grant funding would enable around 200 MW of new projects," Mr Frischknecht said. "We've achieved more than double that through this round with $92 million funding supporting around 480 MW in total," he said. He said the approach – working directly with companies – could "speed up" the commercialisation of solar battery storage, concentrating solar thermal and bio-energy.