With one month to go, buzz around the 2026 Hunter New Energy Symposium and the broader Hunter New Energy Week is increasing, with a new delegate-only experience bringing a different level of access to the event.
The Hunter New Energy Industry Showcase and Tour, scheduled for Wednesday 27 May, is an optional add-on available exclusively to Symposium ticket holders. It combines a morning of rapid presentations with an afternoon visiting operating sites across the region.
The format is designed to connect discussion with delivery, giving attendees visibility of both the organisations involved and the environments where projects are being built and operated.
Morning sessions map the full supply chain
The day begins at HunterNet with a sequence of short presentations from companies spanning early-stage ventures through to established manufacturers.
Participants include ATB Morton, Allegro Energy, MGA Thermal, UEG Energy, Energy Diversions, Sunman Energy, FPR Energy, NextFarm, Facet Amtech and TRaCE, alongside additional organisations across the sector.
The line-up reflects the breadth of the Hunter’s capability, from research and commercialisation through to fabrication and deployment.
TRaCE, a $280 million collaboration between UNSW, the University of Newcastle, industry partners and the Commonwealth, will provide context for how startups and spin-outs connect into a national pathway that moves technology from research into market.
Several presenters are advancing technologies tied directly to industrial and infrastructure use. FPR Energy is developing concentrated solar thermal systems capable of delivering high-temperature heat and power, while MGA Thermal is manufacturing thermal storage blocks in Tomago designed for industrial processes and grid support.
Other contributors are working on emerging or niche applications. Energy Diversions is exploring buoyancy-based storage using water bodies, while Facet Amtech is developing a method to produce ammonia from air and water without relying on conventional processes. Sunman Energy is introducing lightweight solar modules suited to structures that cannot support traditional panels.
Site visits connect presentations to operating facilities
In the afternoon, attendees will travel by coach to working Hunter sites, including ATB Morton and Allegro Energy, with additional locations to be confirmed closer to the date.
Transport and lunch are provided by ATB Morton, which is also part of the presentation program as a long-standing Hunter manufacturer now working across energy infrastructure projects.
The tour component is intended to place the morning’s presentations into a physical context, allowing delegates to see how manufacturing, assembly and deployment are occurring on the ground.
Entry pathway and limited capacity
Access to the Showcase and Tour is tied to the Symposium ticketing process. Delegates receive a registration code after purchasing a ticket, which is then used to secure a place on the day at no additional cost.
Capacity is limited by the number of seats available on the tour, and early registration is being encouraged.
The event runs from 7:45am to 5:00pm, beginning at HunterNet before moving to external sites across the region.
Integration with the broader week
The Showcase sits within a wider program that includes the main Symposium and additional sessions across Hunter New Energy Week.
The Symposium program continues to expand, with new speakers added across sessions covering project delivery, infrastructure systems and the region’s competitive position. These include contributors from Hall & Willcox, Muswellbrook Shire Council, Transport for NSW, Transgrid, GHD, Commonwealth Bank, the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub and the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources.
An invite-only Next Generation Forum will also run later in the week, focused on emerging leaders in the sector.
From presentation to industry audience
A further link between the Showcase and the main program is built into the event structure, with the leading presentation from the day invited to deliver a short pitch at the Symposium Industry Gala Dinner on Thursday May 28 at the Newcastle Town Hall.
That session will be attended by investors, government representatives and major project developers, extending the reach of participating organisations beyond the daytime program.
By bringing together early-stage ventures, established manufacturers and operating facilities in a single day, the Showcase is presenting a concentrated view of how the Hunter’s energy activity is progressing from concept through to delivery. Within the context of the broader New Energy Week, the Showcase is an excellent opportunity for delegates to meet the companies delivering the region’s new energy future
