Port of Newcastle granted $100 million for hydrogen readiness

The Port of Newcastle has signed agreements for Front End Engineering Designs (FEED) and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for various infrastructure projects for its Clean Energy Precinct (CEP).

The agreements are financed by the Commonwealth Government’s AUS$100 million ($67 million) grant to the CEP for hydrogen readiness.

Successful tenderers Lumea (electrical), CoNEXA (water), and GHD (general infrastructure) will complete the FEED and EIS studies, which will guide future site enablement, site layout, and land platform design, as well as the preparation of environmental planning permissions.

The CEP intends to aid the creation, storage, distribution, and export of renewable energy, such as green hydrogen and green ammonia.

Once completed, the project is anticipated to enable renewable energy generation, storage, transmission, domestic distribution, and international export.

The port’s CEO, Craig Carmody, said: “The Clean Energy Precinct is central to the Port of Newcastle’s diversification strategy to create the port that our community, our region, and our state needs for the future. This phase will determine the infrastructure and services critical to the progression of the Precinct’s development and push us further towards hydrogen readiness.

“Once fully developed, the CEP will contribute AUS$4.2 billion ($2.8 billion) and is estimated to generate 5,800 new jobs to the Hunter Region by 2040, while supporting the NSW Government’s objectives to accelerate decarbonisation and clean energy opportunities by increasing renewable energy generation, storage, and investment under the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.”

In August, software solutions company, OneStop, announced a strategic partnership with the Port of Newcastle to transform containerised freight operations.