New.E and HunterNet are delivering the Hunter New Energy Symposium at Newcastle City Hall on Thursday 28 May 2026 as a single-day plenary event as part of the newly expanded Hunter New Energy Week.
All delegates at the Symposium will be in one room for the full day, with no concurrent sessions. This format is designed to keep the conversation connected, allowing everyone to engage with the same ideas, discussions and questions as the day progresses.
The focus for 2026 is captured in one central question: “How do we move from ambition and commitments to construction, delivery and competitive advantage?”
Four sessions covering the full delivery system
The Symposium will run across four themed sessions, each addressing a different part of what it takes to deliver a new energy future in the Hunter.
We will start with delivery itself, examining what success looks like and what can get in the way. From there, we move into projects at scale across power, transmission, fuels, storage and industry, including discussion on the Hunter Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone delivery and the role of local supply chains.
The third session focuses on the enabling system, including infrastructure, policy, capital and workforce capability. The final session turns to competitive advantage and how the Hunter positions itself against other regions.
Each session will include keynote speakers, moderated panels and extended audience Q&A, ensuring time for both insight and discussion.
A full week of activity across the region
In 2026, we are expanding the Symposium into Hunter New Energy Week, running across multiple days and locations. By extending the program, we are creating more opportunities for people to connect, collaborate and contribute.
We will open the week with an Industry Cluster Roundtable on Tuesday 26 May, bringing stakeholders together to co-design how the Hunter positions itself as a new energy industrial cluster.
On Wednesday 27 May, we will run industry tours that provide behind-the-scenes access to projects, precincts and infrastructure shaping the region. The Symposium will take place on Thursday 28 May.
The week will conclude with a Next Generation Forum on Friday 29 May, focused on workforce pathways and emerging talent.
Across the week, we will also deliver a broader program of forums, discussions and partner-led events, connecting people across energy, industry, skills, innovation and community.
Networking built into the program
We are integrating networking into the core program.
On Wednesday evening, we will host a welcome event at Tower Cinemas Newcastle, featuring a screening of Planet Sun followed by discussion and networking.
On Thursday evening, after the Symposium, we will bring delegates together again for the industry dinner at Newcastle City Hall.
Tickets and inclusions
Tickets are now available, with the full Symposium package priced at $850 plus GST.
This includes access to the full-day plenary Symposium, catering throughout the day, the industry dinner and the Wednesday networking event, noting that places for the cinema event are limited.
Supported by early sponsors
We would like to acknowledge the organisations already supporting HNES2026.
Energy Fest, GHD Australia, Port of Newcastle, EnergyCo, City of Newcastle and Nepean Power have joined us as initial sponsors for this year’s event, with Energy Fest supporting the Wednesday networking event.
We continue to offer sponsorship and exhibition opportunities for organisations looking to engage directly with industry, government, research and investment stakeholders.
Bringing the full ecosystem together
The program is designed for people working across all parts of the energy transition, including SMEs, large-scale industry, government, research organisations, training providers and community groups.
It brings together those leading projects, building capability, investing, educating and entering the sector, alongside the next generation workforce.
Focused on delivery in the Hunter
We are bringing this program to Newcastle to focus on what comes next for the region.
Across the Symposium and the broader week, the emphasis is on how projects move forward, how systems support delivery, and how the Hunter continues to position itself as a leading new energy region.
We look forward to bringing the sector together in May to focus not just on the future of energy, but on how it is delivered here in the Hunter.
