A new specialist hub for electric and hydrogen-powered trucks, as well as Australian Defence Force heavy vehicles, will be built in Townsville at a cost of $18.79 million.
This will be the first centre of its sort for North Queensland, with construction expected to begin in late 2024 and be completed by late 2025.
The hub will sell, repair and maintain new-generation EV and hydrogen heavy vehicles and is touted as being a major link in North Queensland’s growing renewable energy supply chain.
It will also ensure ADF heavy vehicles have a bigger and better specialist facility for maintenance and repairs.
Acting Queensland Premier Steven Miles says the hub will put North Queensland and Townsville on the map as a key location for new-generation heavy-vehicle fleets.
He added that this is a further step forward for the local hydrogen industry, building on Queensland Government assistance previously provided by the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund (HIDF).
The HIDF has assisted locally based hydrogen fuel production and trucking fleets gain traction through support provided to Ark Energy in Townsville.
“Ark Energy is developing the SunHQ hydrogen hub a renewable hydrogen production and refuelling facility at the Sun Metals zinc refinery and will be trialling five hydrogen fuel cell electric prime-movers in the Sun Metals fleet,” Miles added.
“Other heavy vehicle opportunities are also being investigated in the Townsville region that would also benefit from the Hydrogen Maintenance Hub.”
The hub will also support training and additional skilled jobs in renewables transport maintenance.
With support from the Queensland Government, RGM Maintenance will build the Defence and Hydrogen Maintenance Hub in the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park.
RGM has heavy vehicle operations throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory and is an existing service provider to the ADF.
“There is enormous potential for EV and hydrogen vehicles in the heavy transport sector and the hub will help put Townsville at the forefront of this expanding sector,” said Greg Jackson, director at RGM.
“The hub will take the lead as a complete end-to-end centre for the sale, repair and maintenance of these green-fuelled heavy vehicles.”
Member for Townsville Scott Stewart added, “I want to see new industries flourish in Townsville and help businesses and people take advantage of those opportunities moving forward.”