The FEED and EIS studies will be completed by Lumea (electrical), CoNEXA (water) and GHD (general infrastructure), informing future site enablement, site layout and land platform design, which will be used to prepare environmental planning approvals.
The agreements are funded as part of the Commonwealth government’s A$100 million ($66.89 million) grant for the CEP for hydrogen readiness.
To note, the CEP is expected to enable the production, storage, distribution and export of clean energy such as green hydrogen and green ammonia.
Craig Carmody, Port of Newcastle’s CEO, commented: “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 $4.2 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.”
The CEP project is one of two key developments in the Australian port’s 2030 diversification strategy. The idea is to create the “port of the future” that will position Newcastle and the Hunter Region as a production, storage and export hub for future clean energy products and technologies including hydrogen and green ammonia.
