The Australian Port of Newcastle has entered the New Year powered 100% by renewable energy.
The deepwater global trade gateway has partnered with green energy supplier Iberdrola to secure a retail Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that provides the Port with Large Scale Generation Certificates that have direct linkages with the Bodangora Wind Farm in the Orana Region of New South Wales.
Craig Carmody, the port’s CEO, commented, “In achieving 100% renewable energy at Port of Newcastle we are showing tangible evidence of just how committed we are to driving sustainability in every aspect of our business.
“In doing so we have also enabled 15 port tenants that work in and rely on Port of Newcastle to make their own operations more sustainable.”
Through being powered by 100% renewables, Carmody said the port has reduced carbon emissions by almost 5,000 cubic tonnes, equivalent to taking 1,000 cars off the road or planting 80,000 trees each year.
The port’s Senior Manager of ESG, Jackie Spiteri, added, “By working with Iberdrola to secure our Power Purchase Agreements we have been able to source green power directly from Bodangora Wind Farm.
“As fate would allow, all of the wind turbine blades and components for Bodangora Wind Farm were imported right here through Port of Newcastle’s Multi-Purpose Cargo Facility at Mayfield 4 berth.”
In December, Port of Newcastle completed an LED lighting upgrade to more than 400 lights on its 792-hectare site to result in energy efficiencies.
This announcement is the latest in a string of acknowledgements Port of Newcastle has received for its Environment Social and Governance (ESG) commitments including a 5-star GRESB rating, Silver Partnership to the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Program and receiving recognition as a finalist across two of seven categories in the Banksia Foundation’s 2021 NSW Sustainability Awards in December
Carmody outlined, “Port of Newcastle is working to realise projects now that will drive the diversification of our business and the Hunter Region over the next 10, 20, 50 years and beyond through a three-pronged approach: our Environment Social and Governance Strategy and sustainability initiatives, the Newcastle Multi-Purpose Deepwater Container Terminal development and our Port of Newcastle Green Hydrogen Hub Project in partnership with Macquarie’s Green investment Group and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.”
