The Port of Newcastle in Australia has signed a formal advisory agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to draw upon the latter’s expertise in the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and ammonia and advance the development of the Clean Energy Precinct (CEP).
Clean Energy Precinct
The dedicated 220ha Clean Energy Precinct is intended to facilitate clean energy production, storage, distribution and export. Once fully developed, it is projected to contribute A$4.2bn (US$2.6bn) to the economy and generate thousands of new jobs in the Hunter Region by 2040. The agreement is intended to inform the CEP’s front-end engineering design (FEED) studies, which are currently underway.
According to the Port of Newcastle, its CEP is Australia’s most advanced port for clean energy production. It is the only port currently at 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 A$100m (US$63m) grant for hydrogen readiness from the Commonwealth Government and administered by the NSW Government.
Sharon Claydon, Federal Member for Newcastle, said, “The CEP is a major economic catalyst for our region and this 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.”
Technological partnership
Craig Carmody, CEO of Port of Newcastle, said, “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 utilize 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.”
Takehiko Kikuchi, senior fellow and chief regional officer for Asia-Pacific and India at MHI, said, “We appreciate the invitation from the Port of Newcastle to be an advisor for the port’s common user facility development in the CEP. It’s an honor for us to be able to contribute to the project, leveraging our technical expertise and experience in the hydrogen and ammonia value chain. We are looking forward to supporting the Port of Newcastle team.”
In related news, the Corran Ferry Infrastructure Improvement Scheme (CFIIS) has submitted a planning application and marine license application for an infrastructure upgrade to facilitate the operation of a new electric ferry. Click here to read the full story.
