Community association Good for the Gong has welcomed the “exciting and hopeful vision” of the new Illawarra Clean Energy Industry Roadmap, commissioned by Business Illawarra and launched this week at the University of Wollongong.

“This report confirms what many in our community already believe — that the Illawarra has the skills, infrastructure and community spirit to lead the country in the shift to clean energy,” Good for the Gong spokesperson Darryl Best said.

“We’re particularly excited about the job creation potential, opportunities for local businesses, and the positive impacts for our environment and future generations.”

‘Up to 15,000 jobs’

In his keynote speech at Wednesday's launch event, Wollongong MP Paul Scully, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, described the roadmap as a “well-thought-out blueprint”.

“According to the modelling in the Clean Energy Roadmap report, we could see the creation of up to 15,000 jobs and between $10-$15 billion in investment over the coming years,” he said.

“And a potential uplift of up to 2 per cent in gross state product and the creation of new global-scale industries in green hydrogen, offshore wind, clean steel, battery storage and circular economy solutions.”

Plan to be a clean energy powerhouse

The roadmap has been 18 months in the making, said Coralie McCarthy, the director of advocacy group Business Illawarra.

“The Clean Energy Roadmap was a business-led initiative with some pretty big business partners to really look at what is the opportunity for our region to be on the map for clean energy,” Coralie said.

“And that is not just to manufacture of clean energy, of course – although that's important with the two different zones, the urban and offshore zones – but it's also about skills, education, pathways, manufacture of parts, recycling of parts, attracting investment, so that we really are on the map nationally, but also internationally, for this growth opportunity.

“There is an opportunity for a whole supporting sector around clean energy that can really help us have jobs for the future and economic growth in our region.

“Championing that to anyone that will listen, that the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South Coast region is open for business in a respectful and responsible way, and that we've got engaged industry that wants to work with community is really important.

“Nothing happens overnight, but in the long term, it will mean that there'll be jobs here for our kids and our grandkids, and hopefully we've got an energy supply for businesses that's also affordable.”

‘We’re stronger together’

Business Illawarra is an advocacy group with a staff of two (soon to be three) but its strength lies in co-operation, Coralie said.

“The great thing about working with Business Illawarra is that we're stronger together. It's not ever just one of us – it’s all of us really driving change. And that's what makes this project, I think, special.

“We've got some significant partnerships – there were 13 different businesses that collaborated on this project, and we commissioned Wollongong University to write the report and to do the research, so it's a very well respected and business-led document.”

The plan had input from academia, government and industry, including  ATCO Australia, Oceanex Energy, BlueScope Steel, BOC Australia, Squadron Energy, KPMG, Hysata, NSW Ports and Endeavour Energy.

UOW experts in a range of subjects – from economics and supply chain to engineering and power systems – contributed to the report, which was written by Associate Professor Tillmann Boehme, Dr Makrita Solitei, Dr Ryan Dizon, Assoc Prof Alfredo Paloyo, Mr Ty Christopher and Prof Timothy McCarthy.

Good for the Gong’s Darryl Best said the roadmap showed the depth of expertise in our region. “It shows that we don’t need to look elsewhere — we have the knowledge, experience, and vision in our own backyard to shape a world-leading clean energy future.”

What’s the plan

The roadmap is a 30-year plan for a prosperous local future powered by clean energy. It lists five key opportunities for the Illawarra: hydrogen hub development; offshore wind leadership; job creation and workforce training, grid and storage infrastructure expansion; and green steel and advanced manufacturing

“It's been really positively received,” Coralie said on Friday. “And now the real work starts in making sure some of those actions identified in the roadmap happen.”

There’s a chance for Port Kembla to become the first east coast port that can service wind projects, Coralie said.

“That will bring us a great deal of support industry with it. It will mean that parts can be made here. Then there are jobs, [including] engineering jobs, that go alongside that.

“So there's advocacy work to be done.

“There's also some work with the universities and the TAFE to make sure that we're considering jobs of the future, which is really important.

“And then we've got some work really advocating for changes in red tape and making sure that when government are talking about investment opportunities here in the Illawarra and South Coast, that clean energy, clean energy manufacturing and innovation startups are really on top of mind.”

Thanks to a ‘willing community’ 

In his keynote, Paul Scully celebrated the Illawarra’s strengths, including “deepwater port access, a skilled industrial workforce, world-class research institutions and an engaged business community".

“We also have a willing community,” he said, pointing to the June’s Go Electric Open Day in Thirroul. “It was filled with energy and optimism about our region’s place in Australia’s energy future.”

Business Illawarra will now lobby for government policy on community engagement, to promote genuine feedback and allow people to see the benefits in big clean energy projects.

“So that might be financial, it might be part ownership of projects," Coralie said. "It's critical, always, that business, any business, works with community, because, you know, we all live in the same place.”

Good for the Gong welcomes discussion

Darryl said: “The local community must be at the centre of this transition — shaping how it happens and sharing in the benefits. With the right support, our region can build an energy future that’s clean, fair, and full of opportunity.”

Making it happen will require all levels of government to back the plan.

“The report makes it clear: we need strong leadership, clear policies, and commitment from all levels of Government — and we need them now,” Darryl said.

“We’re calling on the NSW and Federal Governments to work together – alongside the community, industry and businesses – to support this transition, to provide appropriate local skills training, and ensure the Illawarra gets the infrastructure it needs to unlock these opportunities.”

Read more

What’s the difference between the Illawarra’s Urban REZ and Offshore Wind Zone?

How the Illawarra Urban REZ is leading a quiet revolution

Dr Saul Griffith urges Illawarra households to electrify these ‘five big things’