Port of Newcastle granted $100 million for hydrogen readiness

The Port of Newcastle has signed agreements for Front End

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.