Construction of one of Australia’s most ambitious green hydrogen and ammonia projects is set to begin in October, with funding support confirmed from the NSW Government. The GEGHA project (Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia), a joint venture between Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company, has now reached financial close—marking a major milestone in the push to decarbonise agriculture and heavy transport through locally produced, renewable hydrogen.
Speaking exclusively to Fleet News Group, Hiringa Energy CEO Andrew Clennett explained the importance of this moment:
“This is a commercial pilot of the concept to get the market activated and demonstrate that we can do it this way—commercially. And then the vision is to repeat this in a slightly larger scale across NSW’s agri-valleys.”
A New Model for Green Hydrogen and Fertiliser Supply
The GEGHA facility will be built near Moree, NSW, adjacent to Sundown’s Wathagar cotton gin and an existing 9 MW solar farm. The plant will produce up to 4,500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year and generate around 224 tonnes of green hydrogen—both using renewable solar power and water via electrolysis.
The ammonia will be used as a sustainable fertiliser alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based inputs, with Sundown Pastoral using the fertiliser to support its traceable, low-emissions cotton brand, Good Earth Cotton. Clennett emphasised the broader benefits to the sector:
“It really does allow farmers to have much more security of supply. Fertiliser has been highly import-dependent and subject to huge price shocks. This is a way to decouple from global volatility.”
The use of renewable energy, battery storage, and local hydrogen production means the operation is self-sufficient and low-emissions. Clennett described the integrated approach:
“We’re taking solar energy, storing some of it in batteries, using electrolysis to create hydrogen, and then storing the hydrogen to produce ammonia. It’s a fully contained, on-farm energy and fertiliser system.”
NSW Government Backs First Movers
The project was selected as one of three hydrogen hubs under the NSW Government’s Hydrogen Hub Initiative. While often associated with transport, the funding is focused on accelerating hydrogen adoption in industrial settings.
“This wasn’t part of the Hydrogen Highway initiative,” Clennett clarified, “but instead funded through the hydrogen hub program which is about creating industrial use-cases. Ours is the first project to reach financial close and begin execution.”
The funding forms part of the NSW Government’s Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030, which aims to decarbonise major sectors and regions.
Transport Still a Key Use Case
While the ammonia component of GEGHA has gained attention for its role in fertiliser supply chains, Clennett was quick to point out that heavy transport remains a premium use case for green hydrogen.
“Transport is very much a prime use of the molecule,” he said. “At this site, we’ll introduce hydrogen refuelling, and wherever we can fill a truck rather than make ammonia, we’ll do that.”
Hiringa has already deployed four hydrogen refuelling stations in New Zealand and is applying those learnings to Australia.
“You can’t just have one station,” said Clennett. “Fleets need flexibility and certainty. That’s why we’re now looking at building out a minimum viable network for New South Wales.”
He also revealed that dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel trucks could play an important transitional role for operators.
“Dual-fuel trucks allow you to adapt legacy fleets without relying solely on hydrogen refuelling. It means if hydrogen is available, you displace diesel; if not, you still get the load where it needs to go.”
Hiringa is also working with New Zealand company GBV to develop 50-tonne fuel cell trucks and has already introduced fuel cell buses and boats to the market.
Towards Emissions Parity by 2030
While some industry forecasts push hydrogen parity out to the 2040s, Clennett believes that’s too conservative.
“We think the economics will be there before the end of this decade. Especially when you factor in the true cost of diesel. It’s not just about fuel prices—it’s about emissions reporting and sustainability goals.”
Hiringa’s work aligns with the growing pressure on corporates and agribusinesses to account for Scope 3 emissions and decarbonise their supply chains.
“When companies really look at where their emissions are, road freight stands out. You can only change so many light bulbs. Swapping one diesel truck for hydrogen can have the same impact as replacing 15 cars with EVs.”
A Blueprint for Regional Decarbonisation
Perhaps most significantly, Clennett sees GEGHA as a model to replicate across regional Australia.
“It’s a template and a catalyst. Once you’ve proven this works, you can scale it through NSW, into Victoria and Queensland. It delivers security of supply, decarbonisation, and price stability—everything regional producers are crying out for.”
The GEGHA plant is expected to be operational in early 2027, with planning already underway for larger-scale facilities in the Riverina and Gwydir regions.
Key Takeaways for Fleet and Sustainability Managers:
- GEGHA is a world-leading example of demand-led, right-sized green hydrogen infrastructure.
- Dual-use of hydrogen for both fertiliser and transport applications makes it commercially resilient.
- Hiringa is planning a NSW hydrogen refuelling network, leveraging experience from New Zealand.
- Green hydrogen for transport is expected to reach parity with diesel before 2030.
- The model offers regional producers long-term price and emissions stability across supply chains.
With the right partnerships and infrastructure, green hydrogen is no longer a future technology—it’s happening now, and it’s scalable. As Clennett puts it,
“We’re not waiting for someone else to show us how—it’s up to us to show it can be done.”
