Major South Australian hydrogen project secures development approval

The South Australian Hydrogen Jobs Plan (HJP) has secured development approval, subject to conditions, from state and federal agencies for the construction and operation of hydrogen electrolysers, storage and a hydrogen fuelled power plant.

The HJP is the 200 MW Whyalla hydrogen power plant located 9-kilometres from Whyalla, South Australia (SA) and 380-kilometres northwest of Adelaide.

It includes 250 MW electrolysers, 200 MW of power generation and a storage pipeline for up to 100 tonnes of renewable hydrogen.

The electrolysers will create hydrogen from water using excess renewable energy generated from solar and wind during the day, while the power plant will be fuelled by the renewable hydrogen created.

Adelaide-based transmission company ElectraNet has been engaged by the government to connect the HJP to the SA grid, and will build, own, operate and maintain two greenfield 275 kV substations and approximately 9-kilometres of transmission line.

The project is being delivered by the Adelaide-headquartered Office of Hydrogen Power SA (OHPSA) with its early contractor involvement partners Perth-headquartered energy solutions company ATCO Australia, Sydney-based gas company BOC Australia, and Adelaide-headquartered renewables and gas company Epic Energy.

ATCO and BOC are supplying end-to-end solutions including the 250 MW electrolysers, 100% hydrogen-operated, fast-startup GE Vernova turbines and the on-site storage.

SA Premier Tom Koutsantonis said the approval of the Hydrogen Jobs Plan development application shows the state is delivering a world-leading renewable hydrogen facility in the Upper Spencer Gulf.

“It’s also being done in a manner that is safe and minimises any negative impact on the local environment and Whyalla community,” Koutsantonis said.

The SA government has committed over $593 million (USD 402.7 million) to the Hydrogen Jobs Plan to build the 200 MW Whyalla hydrogen power plant by 2026, with aims to unlock pipelines of renewable energy developments and enhance SA’s grid security through new dispatchable generation.