In October 2021, the Queensland Government entered into a partnership with leading renewable energy and hydrogen company Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), to build one of the world’s largest hydrogen-equipment manufacturing facilities.
Gladstone’s next chapter – a clean and prosperous future
Gladstone’s next chapter – a clean and prosperous future
Gladstone is on the path to become a renewable energy powerhouse.
The place that many refer to as ‘Happyrock’, has plenty to be happy about.
Renowned for rolling up the sleeves and getting on with the job, the Gladstone region will be generating more and more jobs in the renewable energy fields. These are jobs for now, for the coming decades and for future generations who call Gladstone and Central Queensland home.
The Queensland Government has long seen the potential for Gladstone to play a frontline role. The skills already available in manufacturing and export will be invaluable to utilise, diversify and build on, and sets the region up strongly.
Additionally in the SDA, Queensland generator Stanwell and Japan’s largest hydrogen supplier Iwatani, will commence a $10.4 million feasibility study into the development of a large-scale renewable hydrogen facility in Gladstone, while CleanCo has signed an agreement to join Sumitomo Corporation and its partners on the development of a hydrogen industry.
Job numbers are expected to exceed 300 over the life of the project. The partnership itself is expected to create thousands of jobs in years to come and sets Gladstone up to become a world leading hub for the manufacture of electrolysers, vital to the production of renewable hydrogen.
At the announcement, FFI Chairman and Founder, Dr Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest AO, said, “This initiative is a critical step in Fortescue’s transition from a highly successful pure play iron ore producer to an even more successful green renewables and resources powerhouse.”
FFI’s desire to successfully transition towards renewables, mirrors that of the Queensland Government’s, with a cleaner energy future requiring a transition of skills to go along with industry development.
Gladstone has been positioned at the forefront of this change, and the renewable energy sector will be at the heart of employment in the region.
Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett knows the future is bright for the community.
“A green future through renewable energy for Gladstone means that our region is able to maintain its long and proud industrial heritage.
Gladstone will be a leader in a decarbonising industry that will keep our industrial jobs, support businesses in the region and develop new and emerging skills to meet the demands of the new green economy.
“Gladstone is poised to become the centre of excellence for skills development and knowledge transfer for the renewable sector including the emerging hydrogen industry.
“The region will also become the service and support centre for new diversified industries as our already highly-skilled and adaptable workforce transforms with the new industry demand.”
That prosperity is estimated to be massive and long-lasting for the region.
In fact, just in the short-term, jobs at the Aldoga and Yarwun sites are expected to be well over 5,500 by June 2024.
While the potential is enormous, it’s imperative to plan strategically in order to capitalise on the renewable energy boom, while also maintaining the area’s livability.
An important component for success will be the Gladstone community’s appetite to adopt change.
EDQ’s Industrial Development Property Manager Jodie Crawter says the locals are not only resilient, they possess an innate ability to adapt.
“Gladstone’s an amazing little microcosm of lifestyle, industry and change. They really do accept change amazingly well.”
In fact, Jodie says there is already a cultural shift firmly entrenched in Gladstone, embracing renewable energy and a cleaner future for the community.
“This isn't a surprise or something outside of their existing job or operation. Their employers are already talking about carbon neutrality and reducing the footprint, and conveyor belt upgrades to reduce loss of alumina into the water. So it's not an outside issue coming into Gladstone, it's already changing in Gladstone.”
They’re even preparing for the employment opportunities at a school level.
In February 2021 $2 million was committed to upgrade training facilities at Gladstone State High School to prepare students for jobs in the hydrogen industry.
The school is one of four training centres around the state to receive funding in order to skill up a hydrogen workforce.
There’s no question that the Queensland Government has shown its hand in relation to the importance it places on renewable energy, to secure more jobs in more industries.
An initial $500 million investment in the Queensland Renewable Energy Fund, became a $2 billion investment in the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund, under the Queensland Jobs Fund announced in June 2021.
This enthusiasm is also being embraced by companies determined to promote a cleaner future from within.
Rio Tinto, Orica, Alpha HPA, Acciona Energia and Stanwell have now all signed the Central Queensland Statement of Cooperation, ensuring their commitment towards decarbonisation, starting in Central Queensland.
A key component of the Statement of Cooperation is that the companies commit to growing the industries of the future in Central Queensland by creating an enabling regulatory environment, strengthening regional skills and employment to lower capital intensity, and planning for the infrastructure to enable industry development.
The renewable energy opportunities are far reaching, particularly for those living in regional Queensland.
The regions will benefit from more jobs right along the energy supply chain and in industries that can benefit from lower energy costs, such as manufacturing.
In turn, this will benefit the Queensland economy by creating more economic and job opportunities to help Queensland prosper.
As demand for renewable energy and all the equipment associated with it grows, Queensland can manufacture both cleaner energy and its related components and sell them to the world. The Port of Gladstone will be central to that export.
This demand is already creating an opportunity for re-industrialisation in our regions.
Jodie says that having gone through booms in coal, aluminium and liquified natural gas, the Gladstone community has proven it has the ability to transition well-established skill sets to new industries.
Not only are you making hydrogen, but I think Gladstone would welcome the idea of a truck engine manufacturing company coming to Gladstone to utilise the hydrogen, and build hydrogen run trucks in Gladstone. There's definitely an open-mindedness to where that new energy industry can take people.
This open-mindedness it seems, is only matched by the locals’ enthusiasm to be at the vanguard of innovation.
“I think Gladstone kind of prides itself on being a big harbour with big opportunities.
“It's hard to explain, but as long as the locals could still go crabbing on a weekend and still have access to their estuaries, they're pretty open to taking the lead. Just don't mess with the locals’ right to go mud crabbing, whatever you do.”
The future is definitely bright for Gladstone. If you are interested in investing in the area visit https://industrial.edq.com.au/industrial-land-for-sale/central-queensland/gladstone-state-development-area/
Last updated: 14 Jun 2023