The Port of Newcastle (PoN) has joined forces with 10 international energy enablers to support the transition to hydrogen.
After being recognised as a finalist in the Port of the Future category at the World Hydrogen 2023 Awards, in the Netherlands, the region’s deepwater gateway also committed to the Platform Zero Partnership for Hydrogen Innovation.
CEO Craig Carmody and chief commercial officer Simon Byrnes signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the supervision of the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development to accelerate the renewable energy evolution.
Also putting pen to paper were Platform Zero, Port of Rotterdam and the City of Rotterdam as well as key universities and innovation hubs from around the world.
“We are delighted to collaborate with such a strong cohort of leaders in this space and to be a leading voice for our sector and region as the only Australian port represented,” Mr Carmody said.
“This alliance is another milestone of our diversification strategy.
“It puts Port of Newcastle at the table alongside like-minded global leaders in the sector, enabling us to work together to develop and scale innovative hydrogen technologies and overcome key bottlenecks to enable the hydrogen and clean energy transition and trade pathways.
“As we work to bring our Clean Energy Precinct to reality, the benefits of this virtual global innovation hub will be exponential, allowing our port and region to learn from international colleagues, researchers and clean energy producers, while contributing to the development of the Innovation Road Map that will enable a global hydrogen economy.”
Mr Byrnes admitted such relationships would be key to the future enablement of a scalable clean energy trade pathway at PoN.
“Within the Platform Zero partnerships, universities will contribute through developing the relevant new technologies and solutions, where ports, like Newcastle, and innovation hubs, will develop infrastructure to support storage, transportation and scaling of innovative hydrogen technologies that enable the clean energy transition,” he said.
“As the designated NSW hydrogen hub, we are at the forefront of creating a new economy – one which faces many technological challenges in order to make it scalable, economical, reliable and safe.
“So, collaborating with other innovators who are developing and scaling new technologies will be the key enabler for a hydrogen economy.”
Platform Zero founder Mare Straetmans said he was proud to bring together ports, universities and trendsetters from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Portugal, UK and the Netherlands to commit to accelerate innovation for green hydrogen.
“Australia is a critical partner in the development of a green hydrogen economy,” he stated.
“By sharing knowledge and best practices on innovation ecosystems for hydrogen, these 10 organisations from around the world will share, scale and support hydrogen innovation and each contribute to the global acceleration of this economy.”
With further membership expected moving forward, the 10 companies to date who have signed the partnership agreement alongside Port of Newcastle are Port of Rotterdam, HunterNet Newcastle, Newcastle Institute for Energy and Reseources (NIER), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Imperial College of London, Complexo do Pecem, Gemeente Rotterdam and Wicked Acceleration Labs.
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