For 200 years, the Hunter region of New South Wales has been a powerhouse of Australian mining and energy generation and exports. The region is well known for manufacturing, and energy-intensive industries such as aluminium and steel.
The Hunter is now writing a new chapter in this proud history as an industrial and energy superpower.
A Hunter Renewable Energy Industrial Precinct is the region’s jobs and investment opportunity, capitalising on existing skills and infrastructure.
Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts in Gladstone, Queensland and the Hunter Valley, New South Wales will add a windfall of $13 billion to the economy and 45,000 ongoing jobs by 2032.
Read the key findings of new research released by leading economic analysts ACIL Allen, commissioned by Beyond Zero Emissions and WWF-Australia.
Industry in the Hunter is characterised by smart engineering, innovation and collaboration. There are businesses delivering smart energy analytics solutions, niche wind solutions, battery manufacturing, electric vehicle retrofits, an emerging green hydrogen sector, and some of Australia’s biggest industrial-scale users of renewable energy.
The Hunter offers several advantages as a Renewable Energy Industrial Precinct:
The NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap has identified the Hunter as a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). The Hunter REZ has an excellent existing transmission infrastructure that can enable access to local renewable generation. New transmission infrastructure is planned to connect to the Central West Orana REZ (3 GW) and the New England REZ (8 GW).
The Hunter has a large workforce and clusters of small and medium enterprises with deep experience in heavy industry. The region’s expertise in mining and mining equipment means that Hunter workers and enterprises are adept at meeting the exacting quality and safety standards required in the mining industry. There is also expertise in steel, aluminium and advanced manufacturing.
The Hunter has top research and development capability. CSIRO Energy Centre and the Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources at the University of Newcastle have a strong track record of industry engagement. The University of Newcastle is consistently ranks among the best research universities in the world. The University’s I2N network helps launch research into commercial opportunities, with recent star projects Diffuse Energy and MGA Thermal. There are 14 TAFE campuses located across the Hunter able to deliver technical and vocational training across a variety of sectors.
The Hunter’s existing expertise in developing and manufacturing defence and mining equipment has far wider application. Local company Ampcontrol was built on providing electronic solutions for the mining sector and is now applying their advanced manufacturing capability to innovations such as standalone power systems, remote water filtration, hybrid electric boats, electric vehicles and even emergency ventilators to support NSW Health during the COVID crisis.
Local company 3ME Technology develops and manufactures batteries for mining vehicles. It collaborated with a local mining equipment specialist called BME to retrofit the Tritev, a diesel-powered 20-tonne Integrated Tool Carrier. This vehicle provides superior performance in the underground mine environment and there is an influx of demand from the industry. This battery retrofit template could be applied to other transport including zero-emissions buses, waste trucks and even ferries.
In addition, the Hunter has a strong capability in the aluminium, steel recycling, and medical technology industries.
Across the Hunter, community and industry groups, businesses, researchers and state and local government agencies are working to secure new manufacturing, new markets and new ways to export energy. This includes green hydrogen, green steel, green aluminium, green minerals processing and products manufactured with 100% Australian renewable energy.
The NSW Government’s Industry Opportunity Report highlights opportunities in green hydrogen, green steel, green ammonia, green aluminium, transport and logistics and controlled environmental horticulture. The government has also outlined its Net Zero Plan and is ready to support the establishment of new industries and upgrades of existing industries to take advantage of emerging opportunities. The NSW Government’s Clean Manufacturing Precinct (CMP) initiative has encouraged collaboration and focused attention on low-carbon industrial ecosystems.
The Hunter’s expertise in mining and mining equipment and defence is an existing cluster that is already rapidly innovating and deploying new technologies around these industry opportunities.
Some of Australia’s most exciting and innovative manufacturing and technology companies have already given support for Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts.
Beyond Zero Emissions is collecting expressions of interest to demonstrate there is a strong demand for Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts in the Hunter.
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