To 30 June 2024 the Queensland Government delivered several initiatives to support households and businesses transition to a low-carbon economy, including the following.

• The Queensland Business Energy Saving and Transformation (QBEST) Program providing rebates of up to $12,500 to eligible small and medium-sized Queensland businesses to install energy-efficient equipment.
• The Queensland Building Plan (QBP) guiding policy change and legislation, including to improve sustainability performance by updating the National Construction Code (NCC).
• The digital electricity program ensuring that all new and replacement electricity meters installed in homes are digital. They provide more accurate and up-to-date information on usage patterns for consumers.
• ecoBiz: Delivered in partnership with the Business Chamber Queensland, the ecoBiz program provides free personal coaching, site surveys, training and tools to small and medium-sized businesses to help them improve resource efficiency and environmental sustainability and reduce emissions and operating costs. During the 2023-24 Financial Year, the ecoBiz program delivered a total of 12,077 tCO₂-e avoided emissions.
• The Climate Smart Energy Savers rebate provided between $300 and $1,000 for the replacing old appliances with 4-star energy-efficiency rated (or higher) appliances and hot water systems. Eligible appliances had to be purchased and installed on or after the program commencement date and on or before the closure date to be eligible.

Targets and outcomes

• In 2023 and 2024, the QBEST program supported small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with rebates up to $12,500 for installing small-scale energy-efficient equipment and appliances or pursuing other opportunities that demonstrate savings in energy bills, consumption and emissions.
• QBP’s target was to increase residential energy efficiency standards for new houses and units under the NCC 2022 to require:
• 7-stars (out of 10) for the building shell (up from 6-stars), and
• a new whole-of-home energy budget for a dwelling’s major fixtures and any on-site renewable energy, e.g. solar photovoltaic (PV) system
• QBP’s outcomes included:
  • Queensland adopting the residential energy efficiency standards as part of the update of the NCC 2022 (part of the Modern Homes standards, along with liveable housing design)
• Liveable housing design standards were introduced with NCC 2022 to improve the access and function of new houses and units.
• Digital Electricity metering is targeting 100% penetration of smart meters by 2030.
• As of June 2024, over 680,000 meters (32.9% of total meters) were installed in South East Queensland (SEQ) and 380,000 (37.7% of total meters) in regional Queensland.
• Over 800 businesses registered in the ecoBiz program and 80% of them recorded increases in productivity and savings.
• In the 2023-24 financial year, ecoBiz participants saved on average:
  • 22% on their electricity costs
  • 9% on their water costs
  • 5% on their waste management costs.

In 2023, more than 72,700 Queensland households received cost-of-living relief through the $44M Climate Smart Energy Savers (CSES) energy-efficient appliance rebate program.