NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe will today join Hiringa Energy CEO Andy Clennett and Sundown Pastoral Company co-owner David Statham for an important ground breaking ceremony for the GEGHA Project, west of Moree.
Hiringa Energy has partnered with Sundown Pastoral Company and the NSW Government to deliver the first project in New South Wales under the NSW Government’s Hydrogen Hubs Initiative.
The Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project combines solar energy, green hydrogen and ammonia production on-farm to support decarbonised agriculture across the New South Wales north-west cotton and irrigation region.
Today’s event marks the start of construction on the project’s hydrogen and ammonia infrastructure – a key milestone.
Minister Sharpe will attend alongside project partners, who will share insights and what the project means for local industry.
“The start of construction on GEGHA marks a major milestone for hydrogen capacity building in New South Wales, showing how clean energy investment can deliver real benefits for regional communities, industry and farmers,” she said.
“The current fuel shock shows why projects like this are so important – they help make farming supply chains more reliable by reducing our need for imported fertilisers.”
The NSW Government has invested $45.2 million in the project, $35 million through the Hydrogen Hub Initiative – awarded under the previous NSW Government – and $9 million through the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, awarded by the Minns Government.
At full operation, the facility is expected to use about 36 megawatts of solar power to produce up to 4500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia and 224 tonnes of green hydrogen each year.
The project is anticipated to abate up to 17,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to removing 6500 cars from the road or planting half-a-million trees. Today’s ceremony will also be followed by a cotton gin tour.
The GEGHA Project is a joint venture between Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral, developed on the 65,000-acre property, Keytah, west of Moree.
Once full operational the facility will primarily supply Sundown’s Keytah cotton farm, ending a reliance on diesel and fossil fuel-produced fertiliser.
What isn’t used by Sundown will be available to supply other local farming operations in the region, helping to decarbonise traditionally emissions-heavy activity.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the GEGHA Project is a great example of how the oldest industry in the world – agriculture – is to this day continuing to find ways to innovate.
“This is a great project that will see local farms able to replace fossil fuels with renewables. supporting a more sustainable future in New South Wales,” she said.
