ENABLING THE PORT OF THE FUTURE AT NEWCASTLE
A New Energy Economy in the Hunter
Australia’s deepwater global gateway is creating the Port of the Future in Newcastle – regenerating a 220-hectare parcel of industrial wasteland into a dedicated Clean Energy Precinct. This Precinct will position Newcastle and the Hunter Region as a leading production, storage, and export hub for future clean energy products and technologies including hydrogen and green ammonia.
Through the Clean Energy Precinct, Port of Newcastle will support all hydrogen, and clean energy projects in the Hunter by providing land, utilities, storage, transport, and export infrastructure and services – in turn generating over 5,800 jobs, new educational pathways, and expanded economic growth.
CLEAN ENERGY PRECINCT ECOSYSTEM
A Clean Energy Ecosystem at Scale
Port of Newcastle’s Clean Energy Precinct has received a $100 million funding grant for hydrogen readiness from the Australian Government, administered by the NSW Government, which effectively designates the Port as the State’s future hydrogen hub. Through the Clean Energy Precinct, Port of Newcastle will establish and enable the Hunter Region’s new clean energy economy by forming connections across infrastructure, markets, and people.
The Clean Energy Precinct will offer common user, open access, shared infrastructure across clean energy storage, transport, and export facilities. The common user model encourages efficiency through economies of scale and supply chain coordination and is a critical part of the existing energy supply chain at the Port.
The storage, transport, and export facilities will serve the clean energy production facilities both within the Clean Energy Precinct and throughout the Hunter Region. This allows for new connections between renewable energy projects, clean energy production projects and the Port’s biggest asset, its deepwater channel.
Three of NSW’s top five electricity and gas users are within 20km of the Port. The Precinct will integrate clean energy production and storage with the Hunter’s gateway projects, the State’s Renewable Energy Zones, and offshore wind developments.
“Port of Newcastle has a long history in energy export and is diversifying further to drive the clean energy trade flows of the future. We are harnessing the Hunter region’s capability and critical energy assets to deliver Australia’s decarbonisation objectives whilst creating new, and additional trade opportunities, jobs, and economic growth for clean energy export at scale in Australia and locally.”
Craig Carmody
Chief Executive Officer
Enabling a clean energy economy in the Hunter:
- Green hydrogen and ammonia production
- 1.6GW of production in five years
- Harnessing recycled water capability
- Enabling adjacent investment
- Green electricity demand to underpin Hunter Renewable Energy Zone and Offshore Wind developments
- Accelerating decarbonisation of Australian industry
- Creating new jobs and career pathways for an existing and new workforce
Economic Benefits
5,800 jobs
Increase to gross regional product of the Hunter Region
$4.2-billion
Increase to gross regional product of the Hunter Region
Decarbonisation
660 ktpa
Increase to gross regional product of the Hunter Region
1 mtpa
Potential emissions avoided as a result of clean product export
Wider Benefits
Re-Skilling
Existing workforce impacted by industry diversification
and decarbonisation.
Long-term prosperity
For the Region as it becomes a clean energy powerhouse
Energy Stability
3GW
Renewable capacity supported
Lower energy price volatility
SUPPORTED TO SUCCESS
Powered by Partnerships
Partnerships are critical in supporting Port of Newcastle’s Clean Energy Precinct, helping scale up infrastructure and position Australia as a major hydrogen and ammonia producer and exporter into the future.
By combining local, Australian and international expertise, skills, and research, we can remain agile in this emerging landscape and work collaboratively to provide a faster pathway to scale. The Clean Energy Precinct has already attracted a broad range of local and international support. It has secured 15 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements and 15 letters of intent from other organisations.
You can learn more about these partnerships in our media release here.
MOU Partners
- conexa infrastructure partners
- EneryCo
- energy estate
- Eurus Energy
- Fortescue Future Industries
- Hunter Hydrogen Network
- Kepco
- Lacke Macquarie City Council
- Lumea
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- MOL
- Orica
- Platform Zero
- University of Newcastle
Supporting Partners
- AGL
- AMP Control
- Aurizon
- bp
- City of Newcastle
- Business Hunter
- Hunter IF
- Hyundai
- InfraBuild
- Jemena
- Keolis Downer
- Linde
- New H2
- snowy hydro
- WesTrac
PARTNER INSIGHTS
“For several years, Port of Newcastle has pursued a strategic direction outlined in our diversification strategy to deliver a clean energy industry. We have a clear path forward as to how these plans become a reality through the strength of our domestic and international partnerships.“
Prof. Roy Green
Chair
MAJOR PROJECT MILESTONES
Although in the early stages of the project planning phase, our Clean Energy Precinct Team has achieved some significant project milestones this year including:
- Securing $100-million budget commitment from the Commonwealth Government to support the Clean Energy Precinct.
- Committing, alongside ten global energy enablers, to the Platform Zero Global Partnership for Hydrogen Innovation – a collaborative global partnership to support hydrogen innovation.
- Joining with Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen MP, to unveil 30 supporting partnerships with domestic and international organisations which will underpin the Port’s enablement of a world-class clean energy economy in the Hunter Region.
- Unveiling artist impression conceptual images of Stage 1 of the proposed future Clean Energy Precinct site.
- Being recognised globally as a finalist for the Port of the Future at the World Hydrogen Awards in Rotterdam Denmark.
- Lodging two post feasibility study phase Scoping Reports with the NSW Department of Planning & Environment.
- Engaging throughout August and September with our Port community to educate them and seek their feedback on the project via drop-in sessions and an online survey about our Clean Energy Precinct.
Community consultation will continue through the lifespan of the project and its planning phases as indicated in the below progress timeline.
Port of Newcastle lodges post feasibility study phase Scoping Reports
Further Information
“Our dedicated 220-hectare Clean Energy Precinct will offer the perfect platform for large scale clean energy production, which will be supported by common user, open access, shared infrastructure across clean energy storage, transport and export facilities servicing production from the Precinct itself and from right across the Hunter Region.”
Craig Carmody
Chief Executive Officer
From Monday 7 October 2024, the Clean Energy Precinct site is owned and occupied by Port of Newcastle. All existing access arrangements need to be renewed with Port of Newcastle and all personnel accessing this site require Port of Newcastle site induction. As of 1 November 2024, all existing padlocks will be removed.