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The Greens party wants to build a solar-powered electricity plant on North Stradbroke Island to make up for jobs lost when sand mining ends in 2019. Under the plan, a 10 megawatt solar plant would be built to power and attract small manufacturing to the island with half-price electricity costs. The sale of electricity generated would subsidise the ongoing development of a light industrial zone to employ people living on Straddie. The clean energy power plant, along with the existing domestic water supply, would power light manufacturing such as microbreweries, research and development firms, and clothing and footwear manufacturers. The power plant plan coincided with the state government's announcement it would increase long-term financial support to companies providing up to 120megawatts from installed large-scale solar generation. Greens’ candidate for the federal seat of Bowman Brad Scott said the Straddie plant would be part of a light industrial zone, which had already caught the eye of a Capalaba business. Mr Scott said tourism, conservation and sustainable local enterprise were the future for the Island. "The Greens will be supporting the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee people to protect the island and provide employment opportunities," he said. "With a $20million solar power plant we can develop manufacturing to replace all the jobs lost through the cessation of damaging sand mining. "With a $100million solar plant, we could power the whole island. "We need the vision to invest in a clean energy economy of high-tech manufacturing to create the well-paid jobs of the future.” Capalaba business Naeco, which designs and engineers aircraft parts for export, was already considering relocating to the island to take up the cheaper electricity prices. Naeco owner Nathan Andrews, who employs 30 people, said his customers were from all around the world. "So being based on Stradbroke Island would be perfect for us," he said. "The great lifestyle and cheaper solar power would definitely attract me to be based on Straddie. "If manufacturing infrastructure and cheap power was made available I’m sure many others would follow.” State spokesperson and Senate candidate Andrew Bartlett, who visited Cleveland this week, said the Greens' cheaper electricity plan was not dependent on redeveloping Toondah Harbour. But Mr Bartlett said a large high-rise residential tower block development would not create sustainable jobs and would destroy internationally recognised RAMSAR wetlands. "The fact that the developers are having trouble meeting the conditions (under the Act) ... is a strong indication that the project is oversized and inappropriate." Under the state funding initiative, announced this week, businesses constructing major renewable energy generators would get upfront capital grants. Energy Minister Mark Bailey said the funding would lead to growth in the state's large-scale solar industry. This week's promise is additional to a commitment made in August boosting the state solar election commitment from 40MW to 60MW.

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