Port of Newcastle has signed a formal Advisory Agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI), making another significant step to advance its Clean Energy Precinct (CEP).
The agreement will enable the port to draw on MHI’s knowledge and technical expertise in the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and ammonia. This provides insights for the CEP’s Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies, which are currently underway.
“MHI is at the forefront of the research and development of next-generation clean energy production technologies,” says CEO of Port Newcastle, Craig Carmody.
Carmody also added that being able to tap into MHI’s expertise will be valuable in informing the future site layout, enablement and design of the CEP.
“We appreciate the invitation from the Port of Newcastle to be an advisor for the Port’s common user facility development in the Clean Energy Precinct,” says Takehiko Kikuchi, Senior Fellow and Chief Regional Officer for Asia Pacific & India at MHI.
“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.
“We are looking forward to supporting the Port of Newcastle team.”
It is currently the only port at FEED and Environment Impact Statement (EIS) studies stage, which is undertaken by Lumea (electrical), CoNEXA (water) and GHD (general infrastructure).
The current CEP studies are funded by a $100 million grant for hydrogen readiness from the Commonwealth Government and administered by the NSW Government. The studies cover electrical infrastructure, water services, general infrastructure, storage, berth infrastructure, and pipelines to berth.
“The Clean Energy Precinct 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,” says federal member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon.
“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.”
The dedicated 220-hectare Clean Energy Precinct will facilitate clean energy production, storage, distribution and export.