The agreement involves the cooperation of Korea’s biggest energy company Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), and will mean Hallett Group’s operations will be powered by hydrogen energy.

It follows the announcement of Hallett Group’s $125 million green cement project last year, with KHNP, Hallett Group, Elecseed and the state government coming together last week to pen the “landmark” agreement.

KHNP and Elecseed – which has offices in Brisbane and Korea – will build the 6MW hydrogen electrolyser at the site of the former Playford B and Northern Power Stations in Port Augusta. At the same site, Hallett will use slag from the Nyrstar Port Pirie metals smelter to create the green cement.

By using these materials, Hallett hopes to replace more than 50 per cent of traditional high-emission clinker-based cement, helping to drive down the 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide cement production emits each year.

Hallett Group expects to start construction of its Port Augusta facility in the second half of 2024, funded by a $20 million Federal Government grant.

“Companies around the world are watching South Australia’s transformation into a centre for decarbonisation,” Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis said.

“Our state is living up to the potential to become a global leader in renewable energy production and supply.

“The creation of hundreds of construction jobs and 50 ongoing positions will be a welcome boost to Port Augusta’s economy.”

Hallett Group managing director Mark Pickard said the agreement demonstrated the “significance of [the] project in reducing carbon emissions for South Australia”.

“The cement industry is one of the hardest to decarbonise,” he said.

“But with the support of the state and federal governments and our Korean partners at the leading edge of green hydrogen development, we continue the journey of supplying a lower carbon cementitious product to the market while evolving and reducing our own carbon emissions.”