Gladstone Region
Industry Connective (GRIC)

Positioning Gladstone Regional industries to adapt to technological advancements and drive innovation across the supply chain.

Purpose

The objective of the Gladstone Region Industry Connective (GRIC) is to assist in the development of regional capacity, capability, innovation, training and skills to meet and sustain the challenge of establishing a robust renewable energy industry in Central Queensland (CQ).

Serving as a conduit for technological insights within the local supply chain, the Gladstone Region Industry Connective endeavours to ensure that CQ is well places to respond to advances in technology as well as nurturing innovation.

Gladstone Region Industry Connective actively supports projects ranging from demonstration projects to largescale initiatives, collaborating closely to advance technology share industry knowledge and scale renewable energy supply chains through both domestic and international partnerships.

The CQ region continues its leadership in renewable energy production and export. It is also a key player in the decarbonisation of the energy and manufacturing sectors with Hydrogen, Bio-Fuels and other renewable energy sources.

Mission

Strengthening Supply Chains – Facilitating connections and insights to support local industry resilience.
Enhancing Regional Capabilities – Encouraging skills development, knowledge sharing and competitiveness.
Connecting Industry and Innovation – Linking businesses, technology providers and supply chain partners to explore opportunities.
Expanding Business and Industry Networks – Supporting regional industries in accessing broader markets and collaborations.
Encouraging Knowledge Exchange – Creating opportunities for shared learning and best practices.
Fostering Strategic Partnerships – Bringing together stakeholders to support regional success.

Background

Central Queensland has begun a journey to map the local Hydrogen Ecosystem in preparation for the global Energy Transition. CQ will be at the forefront of the decarbonisation of large-scale energy and manufacturing industry. CQ is a producer, transporter, utiliser, and exporter of energy to the world, with strong and long-standing trading partners. The region intends to remain leaders in energy production through renewable sources including hydrogen, biofuels, and renewables.

The Fitzroy (AEMO) and CQ Renewable energy Zones (REZ) and large-scale hydrogen will be a large curtailable Renewable Energy

consumer and industry enabler. The CQ Region has been identified as a potential site for a Regional Hydrogen Hub by the State and National Hydrogen Strategy’s.

The CQ Region has previously shown its adaptability to embrace new industry and its supply chains, more recently through the CSG/LNG industry development. The Hydrogen Industry would be embraced by local industry and the community and
has demonstrated capability to absorb large scale new industry (e.g. LNG).