Australian Gas Networks (AGN) - part of Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) has officially opened its $14.5 MM hydrogen production facility Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) and commenced blending renewable hydrogen into part of its natural gas distribution network in Adelaide, South Australia.

The facility, located south of Adelaide at the Tonsley Innovation District, was formally opened today by the Premier of South Australia, the Hon Steven Marshall MP with the Minister for Energy and Mining, the Hon Dan van Holst Pellekaan MP, amongst a number of distinguished guests.

At HyP SA, a PEM electrolyzer uses renewable electricity (solar and wind) to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. AGN will blend approximately 5% renewable hydrogen into its existing natural gas distribution network to deliver a blended gas to more than 700 homes in parts of the Adelaide suburb of Mitchell Park.

AGN received a $4.9 MM grant from the South Australian Government’s Renewable Technology Fund to build and operate the project.

"With our abundant renewable energy resources South Australia is well placed to become a world-class producer, supplier and exporter of green hydrogen and projects such as HyP SA are key to demonstrating our leadership in this exciting industry," said Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

AGIG CEO, Ben Wilson said the successful completion of HyP SA is an important milestone in South Australia’s renewable gas journey and reflected widening community recognition of hydrogen’s significant benefits.

"HyP SA is an Australian first and one of only a few projects in the world to deliver a renewable gas blend to homes connected to an existing gas network," Wilson said. "The hydrogen produced at HyP SA shows how we can use the state’s abundant solar and wind resources to deliver carbon-free gas to homes and businesses. HyP SA demonstrates the low carbon future of the gas industry and illustrates the important role the nation’s gas networks will play in meeting the decarbonization challenge.”

"At AGIG, we are investing in the long-term interests of our customers and the environment, with HyP SA providing the template for the conversion of our entire gas network to safely and efficiently distribute renewable hydrogen to our customers. We are now focused on developing plans to deliver a complete carbon-free gas supply for our customers.”