Greenhill Energy commences FEED for Riverbend Energy Hub

Greenhill Energy has announced it has undertaken geotechnical investigations at its proposed Riverbend Energy Hub site near Tailem Bend, South Australia, as a key milestone in progressing front end engineering and design (FEED). The geotechnical work is a critical FEED parameter that informs the foundational requirements of the site build.

The site is strategically located within close proximity to the 275 kV electricity transmission Heywood Interconnector, the South East Australia Gas (SEA Gas) high pressure gas pipeline, the freight roads connecting Adelaide with Melbourne and Sydney, and within the freight rail corridor.

Greenhill Energy plans to build Australia’s first fully integrated processing facility to convert landfill waste and sustainable biomass into high-value products such as fertilisers and synthetic fuels, and into low-cost clean hydrogen for use in emission-free power and transport.

The project aims to not only reduce the nation’s dependence on international markets for urea fertiliser, but also bolster food security and promote sustainability in the agricultural sector, the company has said.

Within five years, Greenhill Energy Executive Managing Director Nicholas Mumford said annually the waste-to-hydrogen facility, at full capacity, is expected to divert up to 200,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding release of environmentally harmful methane, with CO₂ produced onsite used in the manufacturing of over 100,000 tonnes of urea fertilisers.

“We are excited to see the project making progress through FEED and, pending approvals, 2025 will see the construction of a single gasifier in our first phase,” Mumford said. “This will be able to process up to 60,000 tonnes of dry biomass or waste per year, which is around 1500 fully loaded semitrailer trucks.

“Riverbend Energy Hub’s stage one will also include an integrated power plant that will be able to provide firm power into the wholesale electricity market and, in turn, support further development of intermittent renewable energy generation types.

“We estimate that the project will create around 300 jobs, during construction,” he added. “Once established and operating at full scale it is estimated there will be around 50 to 100 direct jobs, and no doubt further indirect jobs through sustainable biomass development and the like.”

Mumford said the project has been backed by a portfolio of early-stage private investors and significant industry partnerships, including MOUs with partners such as Elders, Solo Resource Recovery and Peats Soil and Garden Supplies.

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