Strategic Hydrogen Locations

New South Wales

While the Hunter and Illawarra regions are highlighted as the major hub development opportunities in New South Wales, the New South Wales Hydrogen Strategy also discusses several inland regional centres as emerging centres of hydrogen-related activity.

WAGGA WAGGA

The town of Wagga Wagga is a major regional centre in the Riverina region of New South Wales (450 kilometres southwest of Sydney) and services the Riverina-Murray agricultural region with potential hydrogen use applications in freight and logistics, recycling, and advanced manufacturing, as well as opportunities in developing a hydrogen reticulation network to supply industrial customers.

MOREE

The town of Moree is a major agricultural centre (630 kilometres northwest of Sydney) with potential for hydrogen use in agriculture/food processing and logistics/mobility operations.

The New South Wales Government, through its hydrogen hubs initiative, has made AUD$150 million in grant funding available to support commercial-scale renewables-based hydrogen projects in the State. In March 2023, AUD$35.8 million in funding was allocated to the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia project in Moree.

PARKES

The town of Parkes in the central west region of New South Wales (350 kilometres west of Sydney) has a key location in the New South Wales freight and logistics network, indicating potential to distribute hydrogen across the State via a major road and rail systems.

Victoria

While the Gippsland region is identified as a hub region of significance in Victoria, other locations have been identified as having strategic offerings that may support hydrogen industry development opportunities.  The Victorian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Plan highlights regional areas that may support hydrogen industry development in Victoria (e.g., one example is the Hume freight corridor between Melbourne and Sydney/Brisbane, akin to the freight corridor opportunities highlighted in the New South Wales hydrogen strategy).

GEELONG

Geelong is Victoria’s largest regional city and hosts considerable industry and manufacturing activities, including refineries, and a deep-water port. It’s heavy industry base presents an opportunity to switch high heat natural gas users to hydrogen. A particularly notable project in Geelong is the Geelong New Energies Service Station Project which has received grant funding support from ARENA and the Victorian Government.

PORTLAND

Portland is an industrial town approximately 360 kilometres west of Melbourne which hosts an aluminium smelter, deep-water port and considerable agricultural and forestry activities.

Portland resides in the area of the South West Renewable Energy Zone with access to considerable wind and solar resources. The Australian Government has announced consultation for a 5,100 square kilometre offshore wind zone in the Southern Ocean Region, supporting offshore wind development in the region, potentially offering co-benefits to renewable hydrogen sector development.

The Portland region also hosts Deakin University’s Hycel Technology Hub at Warrnambool which has received funding support from both the Australian and Victorian Governments.

 

August 2023