Hunter Hydrogen Technology Cluster (NewH2) Welcomes NSW Hydrogen Strategy
**NEWH2 MEDIA RELEASE - 13 OCTOBER 2021**
The region’s hydrogen leadership has today welcomed the NSW Government’s release of the state-wide, master-planned approach to rapid scale-up and enabling of a viable hydrogen industry in NSW.
With established, diverse and sophisticated energy infrastructure, the Hunter has already become the NSW Government’s partner in developing significant scale and capacity to implement the NSW Hydrogen Strategy and Energy Roadmap.
The Hunter Hydrogen Technology (NewH2) Cluster Manager, Clare Sykes, reinforced the key measures outlined in the NSW Hydrogen Strategy, which she said would provide more focus for research and development, innovation and transformation and incentives for locally-based major industries to drive decarbonisation efforts using hydrogen.
“This Strategy shows the government is committed to establishing a focused framework for delivery of the NSW Energy Roadmap. The Hunter and Illawarra have capacity to lead energy transformation in NSW and to ensure that that hydrogen is part of our future,” Ms Sykes said.
“The Hunter is already stepping ahead in our preparedness as a region to apply the measures in the Strategy and take up the leadership role that has been identified for the region today,” Ms Sykes said.
“The NewH2 Cluster has made incredible inroads in driving collaboration and connection across stakeholders including research and development of hydrogen production and usage, hosted by the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER).
“By consolidating and expanding on all the previous measures into a clear and comprehensive package outlined in the Strategy, the government is enabling NewH2 to communicate with advanced and heavy industry with confidence and clarity and begin the work of building a viable platform in partnership with hydrogen hubs that will drive the application of hydrogen for use and export from this region,” Ms Sykes said.
The Strategy outlined three pillars for delivery which includes a state-wide masterplan to enable investment, establishing strong foundations for industry transition, and incentivising rapid scale development, production, domestic uptake and international export.
NewH2 believes that the approach laid out in the Strategy will make the transition of hydrogen consumption and export from the Eastern Seaboard through our port infrastructure to international markets, and road and rail freight links into other parts of the state, more viable.
Ms Sykes said the Strategy presents an enormous industrial development opportunity for the region.
“The Strategy signals confidence for large, diverse and complex industries like that found in the Hunter to make the transition and protect and grow jobs, and it also provides confidence for emerging green industries to establish in the Hunter,” Ms Sykes said.
“The Hunter is rapidly building from our strong established hydrogen framework into a full scale-up of research, development, commercialisation and use of hydrogen fuels from this region,” Ms Sykes said.
“Rather than leaving established energy industries at a loose end, this Strategy will incentivise diversification and scale-up to encourage demand as well as production – we hope this can address the uncertainty that has existed.
“We are fortunate in the Hunter to have made a strong start, particularly in showcasing how industry across the Hunter can work together with success – the Hunter leverages upon diversity, and now the NewH2 leadership will ensure we are taking every opportunity for the Hunter to lead the way in domestic and international supply and demand of green hydrogen.”
CLICK FOR THE NSW GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE: NSW Hydrogen Strategy to drive investment, create jobs and power prosperity
CLICK TO READ THE NSW HYDROGEN STRATEGY
