HIRINGA Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company yesterday welcomed a key construction milestone of New South Wales’ first large scale green hydrogen and ammonia production facility.

Construction of the green hydrogen and ammonia plant at the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia project is underway.

The GEGHA Project is a joint venture between New Zealand’s Hiringa Energy and local Sundown Pastoral Company, who have supported the project to be developed adjacent to the Wathagar Gin, west of Moree.

The NSW Government has invested $45.2 million, including through the Hydrogen Hub initiative and the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.

At full operation, the production facility is expected to use around 36MW of solar power and can produce up to 2200 tonnes of green hydrogen each year. This will support the manufacture of up to 4,500 tonnes of low‑carbon ammonia annually, with approximately 220 tonnes of hydrogen available for direct use.

The project is forecast to abate up to 17,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year – equivalent to removing 6500 passenger vehicles from NSW roads or planting around half a million trees.

Hiringa Energy chief executive officer, Andrew Clennett, says the decision to partner with Sundown Pastoral Company and the NSW Government was a unique opportunity to bring Hiringa’s expertise of creating green hydrogen projects in New Zealand to Australia, and expand the company’s Asia Pacific partnership strategy.

“We are delighted to be able to begin construction of the unique elements of this project, which has so much potential for the regional NSW farming community,” Mr Clennett said.

“In particular, this is testament to the power of the relationships we have across project partners, especially Sundown, the NSW Government and NAB.

”I’m very proud of Hiringa’s record of delivering leading green hydrogen and renewable projects, but that doesn’t happen without strong collaboration across many parties.

“It takes a village to make these projects work, and we’re fortunate to share the same bold vision with our GEGHA partners,” he said.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, with Hiringa Energy chief executive officer, Andrew Clennett, and Sundown Pastoral Company co-owner David Statham at Friday’s sod-turning ceremony.

Sundown Pastoral Company co-owner David Statham said recent fuel and fertiliser supply pressures had highlighted how exposed regional industries remain to volatile international markets, reinforcing the need for greater local energy resilience.

“Australia is very vulnerable when it comes to imported fuel and fertiliser,” Mr Statham said.

”Farmers live and breathe those pressures every day at the moment, and consumers are seeing it in the supermarket aisles with the price of their food through this crisis.

“We need to find another solution, to insulate regional economies who are dependent on agriculture, and this shows it’s possible,” he said.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe said the start of construction on GEGHA marks a major milestone for hydrogen capacity building in New South Wales.

“This shows how clean energy investment can deliver real benefits for regional communities, industry and farmers,” she said.

“The current fuel shock shows why projects like this are so important – they help make farming supply chains more reliable by reducing our need for imported fertilisers.”

The project’s solar infrastructure is already well advanced.

The solar farm, including a Battery Energy Storage System, is in its final construction stages

and is expected to be commissioned next month.

The 15MW electrolyser and16-tonne-per-day ammonia plant is expected to be completed at the

facility’s full commencement in 2027.

GEGHA will also remove at least 64,000km of loaded dangerous goods transport from New South Wales roads annually, saving a minimum of 40,000 litres of diesel in haulage alone – a direct benefit to road safety and regional communities.

About Hiringa Energy

Hiringa Energy is a New Zealand-founded hydrogen industry leader and the developer, project manager and operator of the GEGHA project.

Hiringa operates a globally leading commercial hydrogen heavy vehicle refuelling network in New Zealand and brings deep expertise in hydrogen production, storage, distribution and project finance to the Australian agricultural sector.

Following GEGHA, Hiringa is progressing expansion projects in NSW’s Riverina and Gwydir regions, each at a scale of over 50MW of electrolysis producing approximately 20,000 tonnes of ammonia annually.

About the GEGHA Project

The Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) Project is a joint venture between Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company, delivered by the Hiringa Sundown Project Trust.

Located 33km west of Moree, the project uses 36MW of solar generation, a 41MWh battery energy storage system, 15MW electrolyser and 16-tonne-per-day ammonia plant to produce up to 2200 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, of which approximately 224 tonnes is available for direct use, with the balance used to manufacture up to 4500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia.

The project has received $45.2 million in NSW Government investment – $35 million through

the Hydrogen Hub Initiative (awarded under the previous NSW Government) and $9 million through the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative (awarded by the Minns Government).

Development approval was granted in February, 2026 and the facility is expected to be operational in early 2027.

At full operation, the production facility is expected to use around 36MW of solar power and can produce up to 2200 tonnes of green hydrogen each year. This will support the manufacture of up to 4,500 tonnes of low‑carbon ammonia annually, with approximately 220 tonnes of hydrogen available for direct use.

The project is forecast to abate up to 17,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year – equivalent to removing 6500 passenger vehicles from NSW roads or planting around half a million trees.

About Sundown Pastoral Company

Sundown Pastoral Company is a leading Australian, family-owned agricultural enterprise managed by David and Danielle Statham, renowned for sustainable, regenerative farming.

Operating primarily in New South Wales, they are celebrated for producing Good Earth Cotton, the world’s first carbon-positive, fully traceable cotton alongside high-quality beef, focusing on soil health, water efficiency, and renewable energy.