Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Port of Newcastle and Ampcontrol energy projects 'the Aussie way' of tackling climate change

With Liberal Party candidates Brooke Vitnell for Paterson and Nell McGill for Shortland close by his side, Mr Morrison toured the Tomago premises of Hunter electrical contractors Ampcontrol before moving to the Port of Newcastle's Carrington wharves, where he looked at more examples of Hunter energy innovation before fielding questions from a large contingent of Hunter and national media.

Fresh back from Glasgow and the COP26 summit, Mr Morrison said repeatedly that Australia's plan of "technology before taxation" was the best way forward, and that the hydrogen, ammonia and other energy innovations he was seeing on this trip were practical examples of the nation's innovation abilities.

"Hydrogen has been around for a long time, but it's the future fuel and will over time provide a lot of the world's energy needs," Mr Morrison said.

As the Newcastle Herald reported today, the Port of Newcastle has announced a partnership with various other groups including Macquarie Bank to look at using the port for hydrogen and ammonia infrastructure.

Port of Newcastle chairman Roy Green told the Herald during Mr Morrison's trip to Carrington that the plan was to re-purpose the former "T4" site on Kooragang Island for clean energy.

T4 was the name given to plans for the port's fourth coal loader, which coal handling company Port Waratah Coal Services has conceded will now never be built.

"The Hunter is supporting their own future the jobs the investment the technology, and we see the Hunter has a very powered up future," Mr Morrison said at Carrington.

Earlier at Ampcontrol, Mr Morrison inspected various pieces of renewably powered technology including a solar-powered water purifier for isolated areas and a hydrogen "battery" being developed and built with the company's Sydney partner, Lavo.

The University of Newcastle is a major player in the Hunter's new energy projects and Mr Morrison told Vice-Chancellor Alex Zelinsky that he was impressed with the work the institution and its researchers were doing.

Professor Zelinsky said the region was becoming a hub of hydrogen innovation.

"Our university's track record through the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) shows we know how to partner with industry to research and demonstrate new hydrogen technologies and their various potential applications in this region - we've got the innovation capabilities and the industry relationships to do this," Professor Zelinsky said.

"We are absolutely committed to working with partners to grow new industries for our region and we know today's announcement will be an important milestone for the future of our region, NSW and Australia."

A small group of protesters from Extinction Rebellion gathered with placards outside Ampcontrol's Tomago premises during the PM's visit.

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