The South Australian (SA) Government‘s Energy Transition green paper has been made available for public comment.
The State Government is calling for the public to help determine the SA’s energy future by commenting on YourSAy.
The Green Paper identifies various challenges affecting SA’s current and emerging energy use and the opportunities that successfully navigating these challenges can represent for the State as it moves towards a net-zero emissions future. The Green Paper is intended to stimulate widespread discussion to inform a comprehensive long-term policy statement.
“We want to co-design an energy strategy through early and meaningful engagement with the people who produce it, the people who use it and the people who regulate it. We want to hear the views of as many of these stakeholders as possible, including the views of everyday South Australian energy consumers,” Minister Tom Koutsantonis said.
The Green Paper was published simultaneously as the Tonsley Innovation District‘s first Hydrogen Park announced expansion plans.
A combined natural and hydrogen gas network now powers an additional 3000 homes and businesses in Mitchell Park, Clovelly Park, and sections of Marion. Because greener gas is provided to properties connected to existing infrastructure, new consumers do not need to take any steps to connect to it.
The $14.5 million renewable hydrogen production facility, part of the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), is Australia’s largest renewable gas project and a market leader in decarbonising Australia’s gas supply.
AGIG CEO Craig de Laine said renewable gas is becoming increasingly important as an additional source of low or zero-carbon energy that can be produced today to assist Australia in fulfilling its ambitious decarbonisation ambitions.
“AGIG is very proud to be delivering and expanding exciting projects like Hydrogen Park SA, which clearly show how renewable gas can have a growing role in supporting customer choice, energy reliability, affordability and flexibility when it comes to meeting consumer energy needs that also meet our state’s climate goals,” de Laine stated.
“The South Australian Government has a long history of leadership on renewable energy, including hydrogen, and AGIG’s HyP?SA project shows the opportunities we have to scale up renewable gas production and deployment. We continue to appreciate the Government’s ongoing support of HyP SA and the pathways they are forging for other nation-leading renewable energy projects in the state,” de Laine added.
The project’s launch saw 700 homes getting a mix of 5% renewable hydrogen and natural gas delivered via the existing gas network. Hydrogen Park SA is still consulting with and communicating with the local community on the benefits of renewable hydrogen.
Hydrogen Park SA’s Tonsley plant also distributes green hydrogen to industry through tube trailers, which are lengthy storage tubes on the rear of semi-trailers.
“The world-class Tonsley Innovation Precinct is providing proof of concept for the hydrogen industry and is another example of South Australia’s standing as a pioneer of clean and renewable energy,” Minister Nick Champion said.
“With domestic case studies such as these we can continue to demonstrate the merits of this technology to the world, and South Australia can help power the globe – underpinning conversations we have already commenced with foreign partners,” Minister Champion added.
The State Government sees hydrogen power as an essential component of the State’s energy transition, spending $593 million on SA’s first-of-its-kind green hydrogen power station.
According to the State Government, the Hydrogen Jobs Plan would provide ‘firming services’ to South Australian renewable generation facilities like wind and solar farms, ensuring lower firming costs are passed on to energy customers.
The Green Paper explores the potential and challenges for the State’s energy transition in the areas of government, industry, and community. It illustrates South Australia’s energy sector’s tremendous shift to date, from a coal and gas-reliant state at the turn of the century to one powered by more than 70% renewables.
The State Government is committed to continued, meaningful engagement with industry and consumers to create the State’s medium- to long-term energy strategy.
The Government said the partnership will help plan for a successful transition to net zero emissions by 2050.
“With community, industry and government sectors coming together to make it happen, this is an achievable goal. The Hydrogen Park project underlines what this consultation is all about – taking South Australia’s greener future to the next level,” Minister Koutsantonis said.
“It’s innovation like this that puts South Australia’s renewable energy journey in the spotlight. We need a good blend of different ways to generate cleaner energy,” the Minister added.
