A new pilot project is turning human waste into energy.

SA taxpayers provided $1.6 million to the project in the form of a grant under the former Labor state government.

1414 Degrees, the start-up behind the program, says its technology takes biogas from wastewater treatment, stores it as latent heat in molten silicon at 1,414°C, and then delivers it back as heat or power.

“You can all make your contribution to the success of this machine,” said Kevin Moriarty, chief executive of 1414 Degrees.

“The biogas comes from the sewage plant … We need you to do your bit for everyone.”

SA Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan says the pilot is “a tremendous technological breakthrough which sits perfectly with our government's priorities of cleaner, more reliable and more affordable electricity”.

“We are keen partners in this, but let me say it's industry that has actually achieving this success. They've created it themselves. That's really, really what's so exciting about this.”

The 10-megawatt hour pilot plant will provide the electricity and heat to SA Water.