Greenhill Energy, led by Managing Director Nicholas Mumford, has announced a $425 million initiative to convert waste into hydrogen power, reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. This project, set in Tailem Bend, southeast of Adelaide, aims to process up to 200,000 tonnes of waste annually.
Mumford, with extensive experience at Santos and Shell, co-founded Greenhill Energy to tackle climate change and emission reductions more effectively. He believes hydrogen has great potential as a clean fuel source.
“Hydrogen is versatile but has been underused due to high costs,” Mumford said. He noted that the skills and processes from the oil and gas sector apply to hydrogen, easing the transition to a hydrogen-led economy.
The centrepiece of Greenhill Energy’s plans is the Riverbend Energy Hub, a facility that will convert waste and biomass into valuable products like fertilisers and synthetic fuels, and produce low-cost, clean hydrogen for power and transport. The project, located on a 20-hectare site, is expected to be fully operational within five years, generating over 100,000 tonnes of urea fertilisers annually.
It has the support of the State Government, and pending approvals, aims to process 60,000 tonnes of waste per year by 2025. The project is expected to create about 300 construction jobs and 50 to 100 permanent positions once operational.
In March, Greenhill Energy partnered with the City of West Torrens, Solo Resource Recovery, and Peats Soil and Garden Supplies to launch a pilot program. This initiative involves pre-processing waste at the Adelaide Waste & Recycling Centre and producing syngas at the University of Adelaide’s gasification facilities.
“This partnership aims to build an industrial-scale facility to convert landfill waste into high-value products like clean hydrogen,” Mumford said. He emphasised the importance of reducing methane emissions, a significant contributor to global warming, and highlighted the benefits of upcycling waste into valuable products, which also supports local job creation.
Greenhill Energy’s process, which includes producing urea fertilisers from hydrogen and CO2, is unique and has international potential. The company holds a pending patent for its technology and is exploring opportunities for additional facilities in Australia and globally.
“There’s a significant global opportunity with this technology,” Mumford said. “Many regions lack electricity and have excess waste. By converting this waste into clean energy, we can address both environmental and energy challenges.”
Greenhill Energy’s innovative approach aims to make a substantial impact on waste management and clean energy production, contributing to Australia’s circular economy and global emission reduction efforts.
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