A trailblazing project in NSW's north west that will reduce carbon emissions and create the state's first large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production facility has been given the green light to kick the project into the next gear.
The Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) project near Moree has now secured all the financial approvals to move into detailed design and procurement to enable shovels to hit the ground later this year once planning approvals are locked in.
The project aims to replace fossil fuels by using solar energy to power 15 MW electrolysers which will split rainwater into hydrogen and oxygen to produce up to 16 tonnes of green ammonia per day.
The ammonia will be used to produce fertiliser for Sundown Pastoral Company's Keytah farm - a 65,000-acre sustainable cotton and cropping operation, one of the largest in the Gwydir region - as well as other agricultural properties in New England.
As a result, over the next 20 years, GEGHA will reduce regional farmers' CO2 emissions by up to 17,000 tonnes each year, which is the equivalent of powering more than 2,000 homes.
When complete, the GEGHA project will break new ground in NSW as its first end-to-end hydrogen production hub, decarbonising local fertiliser manufacturing and use, while accelerating the state's capabilities in the green hydrogen industry.
Subject to planning approvals, the first stage of construction is expected to begin in October with the installation of the solar panels, followed by the hydrogen and ammonia plant in early 2026.
GEGHA is jointly led by New Zealand's Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company.
The NSW Government is investing $35.8 million to support the project as part of the NSW Hydrogen Hubs Initiative.
Since 2023, the NSW Government has awarded $109.3 million in funding to projects in the Hunter, Port Kembla and Moree regions to help reach the green hydrogen production capacity target of 700 megawatts (MW) by 2030.
