Hallett Group doubles down on decarbonisation at Port Augusta

The Hallett Group has doubled down on its commitment to decarbonise its cement production with the signing of an agreement which will see two Korean companies build an electrolyser at its cement facility at Port Augusta in the mid-north of South Australia.

Hallett signed a Statement of Cooperation with the South Australian Government, Elecseed and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power who will build the 6MW hydrogen electrolyser at the site of two former coal fired power stations in Port Augusta.

Hallett will also utilise slag from the Nyrstar multi-metals smelter at Port Pirie at the site to produce green cement.

Privately owned Hallett Group is a leading supplier of mining, construction and building products in South Australia, with the electrolyser its second big commitment to decarbonisation.

Earlier the company announced a $125 million green cement transformation project which will see the manufacture of ‘supplementary cementitious materials’ (SCMs) that can replace greater than 50 percent of high CO2 emitting clinker-based cement.

The SCM will be extracted from historic waste flyash from the now closed Port Augusta power station.

At the time Hallett described its green cement transformation project as ‘the most significant carbon reduction innovation project ever contemplated in the Australian cement and concrete industry’.

Now the addition of an electrolyser further promises to further reduce Hallett’s carbon footprint.

Hallett Group took to social media and said: “The SoC signifies Hallett’s commitment to closing the gap with decarbonising the cement industry with innovative solutions.

“Our current Green Cement project in Port Augusta will be complemented by the innovation and support from Elecseed and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

“This new investment shows that Hallett’s initial commitment to Port Augusta and the Upper Spencer Gulf with our Green Cement Processing Hub has proven to be the catalyst for attracting more projects to the region.”

Hallett’s Port Augusta project will reduce Australian CO2 emissions of 300,000 tonnes per annum immediately, growing to approximately one million tonnes per annum in years to come.

“This amounts to approximately one percent of the entire Australian 2030 CO2 reduction target.”

Picture: Hallett Group