It is the first time the not-for-profit group has put forward a proposal to deliver an infrastructure project but the QCC said it is consistent with its role of supporting renewable energy.

The QCC requested funding for the project in response to the Queensland Government's call earlier this week for tender proposals to provide renewable energy for the desalination plant to be built at Tugun.

A total of $4 million from the QLD Renewable Energy Fund has been sought from the QCC for a feasibility study into the viability of an offshore wind energy project.

QCC coordinator Toby Hutcheon said the organisation was seeking a suitable project management firm with expertise in offshore wind development to partner with the QCC on the project.

Hutcheon said expertise in the field of offshore wind energy was largely based in Europe, particularly Britain, so it was likely the project partner would be based overseas.

If the QCC is successful in its bid and the project goes ahead, Hutcheon said it would establish a separate entity within the organisation to handle the project so it does not interfere with its traditional role of lobbying for environmental protection and sustainability.

The QCC congratulated the state government for going ahead with the plan to make the desalination plant carbon neutral, saying it would save over 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year, due to its high energy use.

EnvironmentalManagementNews.net