HyP SA delivers first renewable hydrogen to Whyalla

Renewal SA has announced that on 29 August, Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) began deliveries of renewable hydrogen to Whyalla Steelworks.

Renewable hydrogen produced at HyP SA will help to fuel production of high-purity argon supplied to the Whyalla Steelworks, in a South Australia-first project to transport the locally made renewable energy to the regional industrial city.

On Monday a custom tube trailer collected shipments of up to 370 kg of the renewable gas from HyP SA’s plant at Tonsley Innovation District as part of a partnership between Australian Gas Networks — a subsidiary of Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) — and global gas company BOC.

It is the beginning of what is expected to be weekly deliveries to the Steel City and will position HyP SA as a major wholesale supplier of hydrogen in Australia.

The new Adelaide-based hydrogen supply chain will replace current deliveries to BOC’s South Australian customers from Victoria, eliminating the costs associated with 117,000 kilometres in annual transport and saving approximately 122,000 kilograms of carbon emissions per year.

AGIG’s Chief Executive Officer Craig de Laine said the operational commencement of the expansion of the HyP SA facility to supply industry had been part of the company’s strategy since the Tonsley plant opened in May 2021. He said the initiative is an example of how electricity and gas infrastructure can work together to deliver a cleaner future.

“This new production source at HyP SA demonstrates the wider potential for this fuel and its ability to integrate into existing and future energy networks,” he said.

John Evans, BOC South Pacific Managing Director, said the first delivery of green hydrogen to Whyalla would help decarbonise industrial processes in steelmaking and argon gas production.

“BOC will now commence supplying green hydrogen to South Australian customers and be able to support demand for zero emissions fuel across energy, storage, transport and other industrial applications,” Evans said. “The green hydrogen will also be used for combustion in our Whyalla Argon Purification Unit, which makes high purity argon used in industrial processes and welding gases.

“We’re proud to be partnering with AGIG and the South Australian Government to deliver this significant milestone for the HyP SA facility and demonstrate the immediate value that a green source of hydrogen can have on South Australian industry.”

The $14.5m HyP SA project was part funded via the Government of South Australia’s Renewable Technology Fund, as an avenue to support the nation’s target of net zero emissions by 2050.

HyP SA is Australia’s largest electrolyser and the first to deliver a renewable hydrogen blend to customers on the existing gas network. The facility can produce approximately 175 tonnes of hydrogen per annum, equal to the total gas use of around 1500 South Australian homes, or tens of thousands of homes on a blended gas basis.

Since May 2021, HyP SA has supplied up to 5% blended renewable gas to more than 700 homes in Mitchell Park, which has strongly embraced its status as the recipients of Australia’s first renewable blended gas.

HyP SA at Tonsley was the first of several renewable hydrogen projects AGIG is developing around Australia. Pending approvals, Hydrogen Park Murray Valley in Victoria will be a 10 MW facility delivering up to a 10% (by volume) renewable gas blend to more than 40,000 homes and businesses in Albury and Wodonga in 2024. Additionally, AGIG has announced plans for a 10% blended gas project in Gladstone, Queensland.

Image credit: Jo Robinson.