Work to create a hydrogen hub in the Hunter will be accelerated with the establishment of a collaboration platform to bring together potential hydrogen producers and users.
The platform will connect sophisticated market players with new and emerging hydrogen users to fuel the development of hydrogen hubs in NSW.
"Green hydrogen will play a massive role in our future economic prosperity and decarbonising our economy," Energy Minister Matt Kean said.
"We know that the best way to make green hydrogen commercially viable is to get to scale as quickly as possible."
The hubs will provide groups of hydrogen users common infrastructure for the local production, use and distribution.
Mr Kean said while hydrogen hubs had the potential to become clean manufacturing powerhouses, the process of efficiently establishing a hub was too big for one business to take on alone.
"That is why we are bringing decision-makers and investors who want to deploy hydrogen into their businesses and industries together to help deliver hydrogen in a way that will drive scale, reduce costs, focus innovation and grow our workforce capabilities," he said.
NewH2 Hunter Hydrogen Technology Cluster manager Clare Sykes said the collaboration platform would play a valuable role in strengthening the NSW hydrogen ecosystem.
"It will complement the work of the NewH2 Cluster by supporting the interaction between hydrogen hubs and technology clusters, bringing together key industry players, reducing overlap, and accelerating the growth of new hydrogen focussed technologies," she said.
Australian Hydrogen Council Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Simon, said the platform would drive industry development and hub creation in the state.
"It will bring organisations together to collaborate on NSW's hydrogen future," she said.
Organisations that want to get involved can contact the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment's, Hydrogen and Clean Energy team at hydrogen@planning.nsw.gov.au.
