Ms BADGER question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
[10.29 p.m.]
Yesterday, the CEO of Firmus Technologies, Oliver Curtis, confirmed that they have secured a deal with Hydro Tasmania for 100 megawatts of power for its Launceston AI facility, which plans to scale up to 300 megawatts, the equivalent of powering many thousands of homes. Such arrangements will have far-reaching consequences for Tasmania’s energy grid. With that in mind, Tasmanians deserve to know more about the Firmus arrangements and what may be promised to other AI facilities and data centres. Given other major customers have been told that there’s not enough energy for their needs, what can you tell us about the power deal with Firmus? Can you tell us how many data centre projects are presently in the pipeline? What is the total energy and water consumption required to support them?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question. I see the data centre and AI factory as an opportunity for Tasmania.
Mr Abetz – They grow the pie.
Mr ROCKLIFF – There are many opportunities to, as the Treasurer says, ‘grow the pie’, grow our economy, employ more people and therefore increase our own source revenue through growing our economy.
Firmus Technologies is an innovative Australian company that established its first data centre operations in St Leonards in northern Tasmania in 2019, as you’d be aware. It was chosen because of our renewable energy advantage and cool climate. We’re very lucky in Tasmania that we’re able to be able to diversify and have a diverse economy when it comes to our climate. Protected cropping is a classic example – I’m looking at Mr Pearce – where we’ve seen explosions of protected cropping over the last 10 to 15 years, providing opportunity in rural and regional Tasmania. Why? Because of our cool temperate climate, which is fantastic.
Data centres are in a similar space and so we’re taking advantage of our position in the world geographically to attract industry here. Firmus is now progressing Project Southgate, a multi-stage AI data centre development that will significantly expand high-performance computing infrastructure in Tasmania. Stage 1 is intended to deliver up to 90 megawatts of AI capacity in northern Tasmania by 2026, with a larger second stage plan subject to approvals. Of course, the investment supports jobs, strengthens Tasmanian renewable energy.
Ms BADGER – Point of Order, Speaker, relevance, Standing Order 45. Just wondering quite specifically on Firmus about the power deal, we’re aware of the other details of the project, but thank you, Premier. What other data centre projects are in the pipeline presently and the energy and water consumption required to support them?
The SPEAKER – Thank you, Premier. I’ll draw the Premier back to relevance to the question.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you. I believe I was being relevant, honourable Speaker, but I accept there’s an amount of detail within that question including I am assuming some commercial-in-confidence arrangements as well.
Dr Woodruff – So, it’s a hidden amount of power draw.
The SPEAKER – Order. Dr Woodruff. Order. The Premier has 20 seconds to answer. I ask that interjections cease.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you. I’ll look at the detail of your question. We’ll provide what information we can to you, honourable member, appreciate the question. I think we’re debating this today, aren’t we?
Supplementary Question
Ms BADGER – My supplementary is just confirmation on what the Premier had started saying to confirm that he is going to take that on notice and if we could get a rough timeframe of when we would get that information.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Order. Dr Woodruff, interjections from the Greens. The Premier has the call. He hadn’t even started his answer. The question had been asked. This is your first warning.
Mr ROCKLIFF – What I’m concerned about here and regarding your question and the big picture of your question is that here’s an opportunity that once again, the Greens, which is renewable energy industry.
Ms BADGER – And technology and science.
Mr ROCKLIFF -Technology industry; you’re against.
Ms BADGER – We haven’t said anything against it, Premier. We literally didn’t say anything against it.
The SPEAKER – Member for Lyons, Ms Badger, this is your first warning too.
Mr ROCKLIFF – We have to be able to take advantage of our natural resources. Our clean renewable energy, our Hydro storage, and the other reason that attracts such industry to Tasmania is availability of power and energy, of course, but the type of power that would support their brand as well. Just so happens that was the majority of what we manufacture in Tasmania. The added advantage is the brand through renewable energy of which we can add value to product.
