Port of Newcastle has signed a formal Advisory Agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), marking another milestone in the advancement of its Clean Energy Precinct (CEP).
The agreement will enable the port to draw upon MHI’s knowledge and technical expertise into the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and ammonia, providing valuable insight to inform the CEP’s Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies, which are currently underway.
Port of Newcastle CEO, Craig Carmody, said that MHI is at the forefront of the research and development of next-generation clean energy production technologies, so being able to tap into the wealth of expertise MHI possesses is going to be incredibly valuable in informing the future site layout, enablement and design of the Clean Energy Precinct.
“MHI’s Takasago Hydrogen Park is the first in the world that can validate the full value chain of hydrogen from production to power and we will be able to utilise the knowledge MHI has in relation to chemical plant projects, including the production and handling of hydrogen, ammonia synthesis and storage, to best position the CEP, the Port and the Hunter Region for success as a future global hydrogen hub,” Mr Carmody said.
MHI Senior Fellow and Chief Regional Officer for Asia Pacific & India, Takehiko Kikuchi, said that MHI appreciates the invitation from the Port of Newcastle to be an advisor for the port’s common user facility development in the Clean Energy Precinct.
“It’s an honour for us to be able to contribute to the project leveraging our technical expertise and experience in the hydrogen and ammonia value chain,” Mr Kikuchi said.
“We are looking forward to supporting the Port of Newcastle team.”
Port of Newcastle’s CEP is the most advanced port in Australia toward clean energy production, being the only port currently at the FEED and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) studies stage, which is being undertaken by Lumea (electrical), CoNEXA (water) and GHD (general infrastructure).
The studies cover electrical infrastructure, water services, general infrastructure, storage, berth infrastructure and pipelines to berth.
Current CEP studies are funded by a $100 million grant for hydrogen readiness from the federal government and administered by the New South Wales government.
Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, said that the CEP is a major economic catalyst for the region and the Advisory Agreement will ensure that Newcastle continues to lead in the production, storage and export of clean energy products and technology.
“Newcastle has powered Australia for generations and this project makes sure we will continue to do so for generations to come, as we lead the transition to net zero,” Ms Claydon said.
The dedicated 220ha CEP will facilitate clean energy production, storage, distribution and export and once fully developed, will contribute $4.2 billion to the economy and generate thousands of new jobs in the Hunter Region by 2040.
For more information, visit portofnewcastle.com.au/landside/major-projects/clean-energy-precinct
