Industry Capability Network (ICN) has been working in collaboration with the Net Zero Economy Authority (NZEA) and the Energy Corporation of New South Wales (EnergyCo) to showcase the capability potential in the Hunter and Central Coast Regions of New South Wales.
The transition to a net zero economy is more than just power generation. It also requires the infrastructure to support it, such as new transmission infrastructure, generation, and storage. This shift to renewable sources presents new opportunities for businesses and communities to utilise their existing capabilities in new ways.
The area has a history of energy generation making it well positioned to action this redirection of skills. The region has excellent renewable energy resources and can utilise existing power stations, rehabilitated mining land, electricity network infrastructure, port and transport infrastructure and a skilled workforce. Within the Hunter and Central Coast, EnergyCo is delivering the Hunter Transmission Project, a new 500 kilovolt transmission line that will carry electricity from inland REZs to markets across the state.
To effectively map and showcase these local capabilities, ICN worked across multiple state offices, utilising its supply chain mapping tools and supplier intelligence to analyse supplier data, including company capabilities, equipment and certifications. These tools are regularly used to provide government agencies and project owners a detailed view of regional industry strengths and gaps. For major infrastructure projects like the Hunter Transmission Project, this provides better proactive project planning, ensuring government agencies and project owners can make informed decisions about where to focus efforts and see exactly where regional capability is strong and where investment is needed to maximise local industry participation.
The NZEA supports workers, industries and communities most affected by economic transformation underway as a result of Australia’s changing energy system. With the help of ICN, NZEA is collaborating with EnergyCo and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to showcase Hunter and Central Coast businesses that can participate in the rollout and maintenance of transmission infrastructure.
As part of this initiative, ICN state offices engaged with key stakeholders working across the Hunter and Central Coast regions and within the energy transition sector. More than 480 businesses were identified and over 1,000 supplier interactions were undertaken to create capability across the supply chain from planning, transmission and distribution. This showcase, backed by strategic supply chain mapping, is an important first step towards supporting regional Australian businesses to continue to deliver strong outcomes for the Australian economy well into the future.
The full showcase documentation can be found at The Hunter and Central Coast Transmission Showcase
You can see more about NSW Renewable Energy zones on Gateway by ICN.