Hunter hydrogen plans cemented by Budget investment
The Federal Government is investing $100 million into a Green Hydrogen Hub at the Port of Newcastle and $16 million for a New Energy Skills Hub at the University of Newcastle to test and invent solutions for Green Hydrogen storage, compression and distribution.
Green hydrogen will be critical in our efforts to support hard-to-abate sectors, such as industrial processing (like fertilizer production) and transport, to reduce their emissions and achieve net zero. Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy such as wind and solar. The Hunter is set to become a
The Regional Hydrogen Hubs Program will deliver on the Government’s plans to establish hydrogen hubs in places including Gladstone, the Hunter, Bell Bay, and the Pilbara. These investments will help develop Australia’s green hydrogen industry and boost its decarbonisation efforts. The Budget commitment is $454m over 4 years from 2022–23.
Hydrogen hubs are regions where various producers, users and potential exporters of hydrogen across industrial, transport, export and energy markets are co-located. They will give our green hydrogen industry an early-stage springboard to scale, which will help support other industrial sectors in the regions.
Each hub is expected to bring on at least $41 million to 70 million of additional funding, totalling at least $501 million of further investment. They will also create jobs for technicians, tradespeople, engineers and other professionals in the green hydrogen industry, as well as significant job opportunities in related businesses and service industries.
More information regarding plans for The Port of Newcastle Hydrogen Hub can be found here.
The Budget also delivered $16 million for a clean energy research centre at the University of Newcastle, which will be funded through the new Priority Community Infrastructure Program.
