The Hunter Region could feature prominently in $539.2 million worth of new clean hydrogen and carbon capture technology investments, which have the potential to create about 2500 jobs nationally.
The investments, to be announced in the 2021-22 federal budget, are designed to support Australian industry and manufacturing and further drive down Australia's emissions.
The government will invest $275.5 million to accelerate the development of four additional clean hydrogen hubs in regional Australia and implement a clean hydrogen certification scheme.
The hubs will build-up opportunities for domestic use of hydrogen while creating job and investment opportunities for regional centres.
The Hunter Valley, Bell Bay (Tasmania), Pilbara (Western Australia), Gladstone (Queensland), La Trobe Valley (Victoria), Eyre Peninsula (Whyalla, South Australia) and Darwin have been identified as possible locations.
The Hunter's suitability for clean hydrogen technology is well documented.
The federal government will also spend a further $263.7 million to support the development of carbon capture, use and storage projects and hubs.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia needed to be competitive in new energy economy in order to support the jobs in regional areas and heavy industries.
"It is essential we position Australia to succeed by investing now in the technologies that will support our industries into the future, with lower emissions energy that can support Australian jobs," he said.
The government is currently pursuing opportunities to collaborate on low emissions technologies with Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Technology Investment Roadmap will guide $18 billion of government investment over the next 10 years and drive at least $70 billion of total new investment in low emissions technologies in Australia by 2030.
The plan aims to support 130,000 jobs by 2030 and avoid in the order of 250 million tonnes of emissions by 2040.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the government was backing practical, technological solutions to reduce emissions.
"We are backing technology to meet our 2030 target and get to net zero," he said.
"The government's investment will reduce technical and commercial barriers to deploying these technologies.
It will encourage new large-scale investment from the private sector, creating jobs and supporting Australia's economic recovery, particularly in regional areas.
"It's a tangible example of our commitment to being a low emissions technology leader and reducing emissions through technology not taxes, or imposing costs on households, businesses or the economy," Mr Taylor said.
"Australia's potential to supply our trading partners with low cost, clean energy and permanently and safely store emissions underground has our trading partners, including Japan, South Korea and Singapore excited."
