More than 1,750 long-term secure jobs could be created in Collie, along with 5,000 new jobs across the state, according to a new Beyond Zero Emissions report.
The Collie at the Crossroads - Planning for a Future Beyond Coal report was presented to the Collie community last week and showed a potential long term future for the town if renewables were ventured into.
The report had a number of recommendations for the state government which included a legislation for a 100 per cent WA renewable energy target by 2030 and the creation of a WA Sustainable Industry Investment Fund with $2.5 billion in investments over 10 years.
The document showed the local coal industry could be replaced with renewable energy, creating 870 jobs in manufacturing, 260 in coal plant decommissioning and 60 in pumped hydro among others.
Report lead Lachlan Rule said Collie was in the perfect position for moving out from coal and secure its future.
"Collie has an incredibly exciting range of economic possibilities at its fingertips. Its infrastructure, skills, natural resources and location make it a great spot to develop a lot of sustainable industries WA currently lacks," he said.
"With this report, it's not going to be a silver bullet solution, but it's a starting point in helping the community move from a problem based mindset to a solution based mind set.
Mr Rule said the report could be an invaluable research tool not only for Collie but other coal and gas communities around Australia facing similar hardships.
Shire of Collie president Sarah Stanley said while she supported the report and found it an interesting conversation to be had, the timeline of the report was optimistic.
"There is an exciting opportunity for Collie to play a leading role in driving new opportunities that are sustainable for workers, their communities and the environment in the long term," she said.
"The Shire commends Beyond Zero in considering the impacts on Collie's community as well as our strategic advantages in producing a report that demonstrates there are opportunities for our highly skilled workers and makes practical suggestions for the ways government can help drive investment in sustainable industries as well as support workers and community."
