Nitrogen Industry News

Nitrogen Industry News

KENYA

Tecnimont to work on renewable power-to-fertilizer plant in Kenya

Maire Tecnimont SpA says that its subsidiaries MET Development, Stamicarbon and NextChem have collectively begun work on a renewable power-to-fertilizer plant in Kenya. MET Development has signed an agreement with Oserian Development Company for the development of the plant at the Oserian Two lakes Industrial Park, on the southern banks of Lake Naivasha, 100 km north of Nairobi.

The plant will support Kenya’s low carbon growth, agricultural output and its smallholder farmers and communities. Located near the country’s largest geothermal energy basin, it will also be partly powered by on-site solar energy, displacing the need for fossil fuels and eliminating carbon from the production. The facility will reduce carbon emission with approximately 100,000 t/a CO2 compared to a gas-based fertilizer plant. It will also reduce the country’s dependency on imported nitrogen fertilizers by around 25%, as well as increasing fertilizer affordability.

Stamicarbon will provide both its Stami Green Ammonia technology and its nitric acid technology as an integrated technology package for the manufacturing of nitrate fertilizer. The technology configuration – characterised by a modular approach and therefore ideal for small scale facilities – will be the first of its kind, although based on proven technology.

The renewable power-to-fertilizer project aims to produce 550 t/a of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and/or NPK fertilizers and will be the first state-of-the-art, commercial-scale nitrate fertilizer plant based on renewables. MET Development is currently engaging with local and international partners to set up the development consortium.

The project has started preliminary engineering works and NextChem aims to start the front-end engineering design (FEED) by the end of 2021. The goal is to start commercial operation of the plant in 2025. The fertilizer product is predominately produced as CAN but the facility will have the flexibility to produce NPK fertilizers in addition to meet the demand of local agricultural requirements. It will utilize approximately 70 MW of renewable power.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer of Maire Tecnimont Group commented: “We are very pleased to announce the start of this exciting project thanks to the collaboration with a pioneering player such as Oserian Development Company. With this strategic initiative we aim to unlock the potential of decarbonising the fertilizer industry using renewable energy as a feedstock. Kenya has a unique potential to provide renewable energy, making it an ideal location for local green power-to-fertilizer production, replacing imports of nitrogen fertilizer”.

UNITED KINGDOM

CRU launches new Sustainability division

Consultancy and events company CRU has launched a new sustainability division, CRU Sustainability.

The aim is to bring together its sustainability expertise into one division and, in so doing, launch a unique service designed to give clients in the industries CRU serves data and insights to accelerate their journey to net zero. CRU Sustainability will have four focus areas: climate policy and regulation, carbon emissions and markets; the clean energy transition; and the circular economy.

“The launch of CRU Sustainability is a true game changer for tackling complex decarbonisation journeys. When it comes to supporting businesses deliver their sustainability ambitions, we have all the corners covered – data, climate policy and industry expertise,” said Robert Perlman, executive chairman at CRU Group.

CRU Sustainability will be led by Dr Jumana Saleheen. Dr Saleheen is currently Chief Economist for CRU Group, where she heads up economic thought leadership and global forecasting. Having worked at the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Dr Saleheen brings over two decades of experience to her expanded role as head of CRU Sustainability.

RUSSIA

Stamicarbon and Shchekinoazot collaboration on sustainable fertilizer production

Maire Tecnimont’s innovation and licensing company Stamicarbon is to team up with Russian chemical company Shchekinoazot to jointly explore, develop and implement green technologies at Shchekinoazot’s existing and new enterprises in the Russian Federation, with the common goal to contribute to sustainable fertilizer production.

The agreement captures the commitment of both parties to assist in the development and commercialization of green technologies, as a joint effort to industrialize environmentally best performing fertilizer products and processes. Stamicarbon and Shchekinoazot consider each other as a priority partner for the implementation of green technologies at the company’s urea plant and other fertilizer plants in the Russian Federation.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Maire Tecnimont Group CEO, commented: “Stamicarbon is at the forefront of innovation in the fertilizer industry, and as such it is best positioned and equipped to set the pace for the development of technologies to support the energy transition. I am glad that an industry leader such as Shchekinoazot has selected Stamicarbon as the partner of choice to industrialize sustainable fertilizer production.”

Pejman Djavdan, CEO of Stamicarbon, said: “We are committed to the development of technologies for Green Fertilizers, decreasing the environmental footprint of fertilizer production and use. In partnership with Shchekinoazot, I’m sure we will greatly contribute to the implementation of these new technologies and intensification of sustainable agriculture.”

NETHERLANDS

Stamicarbon launches green ammonia technology

Stamicarbon has launched its Stami Green Ammonia technology, describing it as “a solution to tackle the global carbon challenge”. The technology relies on renewable resources instead of fossil fuels to eliminate carbon from the process, paving the way for sustainable and green downstream fertilizer production.

Stamicarbon has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Argentinian-based Raybite SRL for the commercialisation of this small-scale ammonia technology package. The agreement means that Stamicarbon has become an ammonia licensor for small-scale ammonia plants. By adding this technology to Stamicarbon’s portfolio, commercialisation of small-scale urea plants and mono-pressure nitric acid plants in green fertilizer projects become feasible. Stami Green Ammonia technology can also be applied in existing plants, as part of a hybrid technology solution to make existing fertilizer production more sustainable. Producers can choose, for example, to use this technology in combination with urea production based on carbon recycling, or in combination with nitrate fertilizers. In addition to delivering the technology, Stamicarbon can also assist with feasibility studies, project development and financing.

Fatima Fertilizers’ urea plant.

PHOTO: FATIMA FERTILIZERS

The technology condenses ammonia without the need for a large dedicated refrigerating compressor. A multi-service compressor accommodates the refrigerating compression stage instead, allowing for better plant reliability and substantial capex saving compared to other technologies. Four plants are currently in operation, and as noted above, it will be used in the development of a green power-to-fertilizer plant at the Oserian Two Lakes Industrial Park in Kenya.

The technology also differs in the pressure of the synthesis gas, which is ideal for current green ammonia applications. In addition, there are hardly any inerts present within the process, which means that the conversion per pass of the reactor is higher. Meanwhile purging can be minimised, resulting in minimal (or even redundant) need for ammonia recovery.

PAKISTAN

Fatima Group implements digital solution at ammonia plant

Pakistani fertilizer company Fatima has implemented Topsoe’s digital solution Clear-View™ at their 1,650 t/d ammonia facility at Rahim Yar Khan. ClearView uses an online simulation of the actual performance of for instance an ammonia, hydrogen, or methanol plant to reveal performance variations that can be optimised. In many instances, plant performance deviates from what is immediately visible to the plant operator which can lead to unrecognized inefficiencies.

“Digitalisation is important in the strategic goals of both Topsoe and Fatima Group. It is a pleasure to collaborate with Topsoe, who is a great trusted partner, to jointly pursue our goals. Fatima remains committed to actively collaborate on the on-going development of the amazing tool and also other fields of common interests,” said Fawad A Mukhtar, CEO Fatima Group.

“When we monitor the plants with Clear-View, we achieve a new level of detailed insights that enable our customers to optimize productivity on different parameters. For now, our customers are within ammonia and our sulphur emissions solution, WSA. But… our medium-term vision is to make digital performance optimisation a part of all our technology offerings,” said Amy Hebert, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe.

JAPAN

Yara to supply blue and green ammonia for power generation

Yara International says that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with JERA Co., Inc, Japan’s largest power generation company, to collaborate on the production, delivery and supply chain development for blue and green ammonia, to enable zero-emission thermal power generation in Japan.

Japan recently announced plans to introduce ammonia into the fuel mix for thermal power generation, as part of its measures to cut CO2 emissions and reach carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of its Green Growth Strategy, the government is targeting ammonia imports of 3 million tonnes by 2030.

JERA is the largest power generation company in Japan, producing about 30% of Japan’s electricity. The company is committed to establishing green fuel supply chains to achieve zero CO2 emissions from its operations in Japan and overseas by 2050. Under the MoU, Yara and JERA are targeting collaboration in the following areas:

• Supply and development of new ammonia demand in Japan.
• Sequestration of already captured CO2(CCS) at Yara’s ammonia plant in Pilbara, Australia, enabling the production and supply of blue ammonia to JERA.
• New clean (blue and green) ammonia project development.
• Optimisation of ammonia logistics to Japan.

Yara produces roughly 8.5 million t/a of ammonia and employs a fleet of 11 ammonia carriers, including five fully owned ships, and owns 18 marine ammonia terminals with 580,000 tonnes of storage capacity – enabling it to produce and deliver ammonia across the globe.

“This ground-breaking collaboration aims to decarbonise JERA’s power production and provide Yara with a footprint in the strategically important Japanese market. Building blue and green ammonia value chains is critical to enabling the hydrogen economy, and collaborating with a key player like JERA marks a milestone in leveraging Yara’s global capabilities,” said Svein Tore Holsether, president and CEO of Yara.

UNITED STATES

Bakken and Mitsubishi may buy Dakota Gasification

Bakken Energy, LLC and Mitsubishi Power have signed a strategic partnership agreement to create a world-class clean hydrogen hub in North Dakota, comprising facilities that produce, store, transport and consume clean hydrogen. It will be connected by pipeline to other clean hydrogen hubs being developed throughout North America. The project would involve the potential acquisition and redevelopment of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant at Beulah, North Dakota, and Bakken and Mitsubishi say that they are currently in negotiations with the Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its subsidiary Dakota Gasification Company. The redevelopment would make the facility the largest producer of clean hydrogen in North America. The project is in due diligence, and specific details are confidential until that phase is complete.

The Great Plains Synfuels plant, Beulah, North Dakota.

PHOTO: DAKOTA GASIFICATION

MHI to supply turbomachinery to ammonia plant

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Compressor International Corp (MCO-I) will supply four compressors and two steam turbines for a revamp and expansion of Koch Fertilizer’s ammonia production facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Koch has recently announced a $140 million revamp of its Fort Dodge facility to further improve reliability, environmental and safety performance. The investment will increase ammonia capacity by 85,000 st/a. In order to help meet these increased production goals, MCO-I will work in collaboration with Koch Fertilizer and its nominated EPC firm to supply turbomachinery including one syngas compressor train and one process air compressor train. Each train will be installed as ‘footprint replacements’ for the current trains onsite, to minimise impact to the existing facility’s infrastructure.

Steve Lucchesi, account executive, MCO-I, said, “MCO-I has extensive experience working in large capacity ammonia application… MCO-I’s approach to flexible frame design enabled us to meet this project’s unique requirements and spatial constraints with new, state-of-the-art turbine and compressor technology that will improve the efficiency and reliability of trains critical to ammonia production.”

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Abu Dhabi to build large-scale blue and green ammonia plants

UAE oil and gas company ADNOC says it will build a big-scale ‘blue’ ammonia plant at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, extending its interests in developing a hydrogen-based infrastructure. The 1.0 million t/a ammonia facility, which has moved to the design phase, will be at the new Ta’zizz industrial and chemicals hub at Ruwais. Blue ammonia is made from conventional natural gas feedstock, with the carbon dioxide by-product from captured and stored. In recent months, ADNOC has signed a number of agreements to explore hydrogen supply opportunities with customers.

This project builds on the mandate given to ADNOC from the UAE’s Supreme Petroleum Council in November 2020, to explore opportunities in hydrogen and hydrogen carrier fuels such as blue ammonia, with the ambition to position the UAE as a hydrogen leader. ADNOC is already a major producer of hydrogen and ammonia, with over 300,000 t/a of hydrogen produced at the Ruwais Industrial Complex. Wood Group has been engaged to perform pre front-end engineering and design work for the project, as well as six other chemical projects at the Ta’zizz hub.

In addition to this, the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) has also announced plans for the construction of a green ammonia production facility using hydrogen generated from solar power, aimed at both regional and international markets. Helios Industry, a privately owned special project vehicle company, will invest over $1 billion in the construction of the facility over several years, according to KIZAD. The project will be developed in two phases. Once completed it is intended to produce 200,000 t/a of green ammonia from 40,000 t/a of green hydrogen.

UZBEKISTAN

Financing completed for new ammonia plant

Ferkensco Management Ltd has signed two bilateral agreements with Gazprombank to finance the construction of an NPK plant in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region and an ammonia-based fertilizer facility in the Sydarya region. The ammonia project is already under way, with site surveys completed in late 2020. In March 2021, a cooperation agreement was signed with the governor of the Syrdarya region, with Casale SA licensing its ammonia technology for the project. The plant is aiming to produce 495,000 t/a of ammonia at an investment cost of $350 million.

Timur Juraev, head of Ferkensco in Uzbekistan, said: “We welcome the engagement with a reliable international partner such as Gazprombank to help us to achieve our goals. We are firmly focused on long-term cooperation with international partners to bring new opportunities that develop Uzbekistan and create jobs. These modern facilities will produce highly efficient, complex mineral fertilizers, help Uzbekistan meet domestic demand, and also enter foreign markets.”

INDIA

Toyo wins ammonia EPC contract

Toyo Engineering has been awarded the EPC contract to build an ammonia plant with a capacity of 1,500 t/d (520,000 t/a), as well as associated offsite and utility facilities, by Performance Chemiserve Ltd (PCL). The plant will be built at Navi Mumbai near Taloja in Maharashtra state on the west coast of India, with completion scheduled for the first half of 2023. PCL is a subsidiary of Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL). DFPCL was set up in 1979 as an ammonia manufacturer. The plant will not only meet the key raw material needs of Deepak, but also have excess capacity for sale in the open market. Currently, the company imports about 400,000 t/a of ammonia from the Middle East for its downstream petrochemical and fertilizer businesses. The company is also setting up a 377,000 t/a technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) plant at Gopalpur in Odisha to tap growing demand for industrial explosives in both the domestic and overseas markets, which is expected to be completed by March 2024.

Toyo has worked on more than 80 ammonia plants and is also implementing a 1.27 million t/a ammonia-urea fertilizer project for Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

COLOMBIA

Stamicarbon remotely completes nitric acid revamp study

Stamicarbon has remotely completed a revamp study for the Monómeros Colombo Venezolanos single pressure nitric acid plant in Colombia aimed at increasing and optimizing production. Located in Barranquilla, on the country’s northern coast, the nitric acid plant was designed by Stamicarbon and commissioned in 1968. In spite of over 50 years of operation, the plant has been well-maintained, with only a few heat exchangers replaced due to end of life and the boiler replaced to prepare for capacity increase. Recently, however, growing demand for NPK, which uses nitric acid as a feedstock, led Monómeros to look for ways to produce more nitric acid at their own facility.

The original plant’s nameplate capacity was 225 t/d of nitric acid at 55%wt concentration, with an actual capacity of 275 t/d at 50%wt. Stamicarbon performed a revamp study and developed two revamp options for the plant: 300 t/d of nitric acid with acid concentration >50%wt, or 350 t/d of nitric acid with concentration >50%wt. After a year of technical discussions and evaluation of the scope of work, Stamicarbon signed the study agreement with Monómeros and began work on the project in October 2020. In November, the team delivered the “as-is” mass balance, reflecting the existing situation of the plant. With this mass balance, the work on designing the two revamp options began. In March, as part of the study agreement, Stamicarbon delivered datasheets for a new type of packing to be used as a replacement in the oxidation/absorption columns in the plant. Six months after the kick-off meeting, Stamicarbon delivered the final package, presenting the two revamp options, including recommendations on the improvements to be implemented in the plant to reach the desired capacities.

“It was important for the Monómeros project team that every single piece of equipment in the plant was considered in the study, to assess the complete plant behaviour,” said Mauricio Medici, Licensing Manager at Stamicarbon, who took the role of project manager during the study. “Being the original licensor, Stamicarbon has a broader understanding of the overall plant configuration and operations, and our work fulfilled their request successfully because we had a complete view of the project.”

AZERBAIJAN

New fertilizer terminal for Baku

The port of Baku has announced the start of construction of a fertilizer terminal at its new facility in Alat. The strategic terminal is being jointly financed by the government of Azerbaijan and the Port of Baku. It is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2022. The investment decision resulted from a feasibility study revealing a significant potential for transhipment of fertilizers from landlocked Central Asian countries to western markets via Azerbaijan. Three states of Central Asia – Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – have production capacity for various fertilizers, including urea, sulphur, and potassium carbonate that exceeds 6.6 million t/a, including the recently inaugurated Garabogaz Fertilizer Plant on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan, which alone produces 1.2 million t/a of urea, more than 90% of it inteded for export.

The Port of Baku’s new fertilizer terminal will have the capacity to handle 2.5 million t/a. The facility will have two warehouses with a total capacity of 60,000 tonnes, and state-of-the-art conveyor systems to unload the various types of fertilizers directly to warehouses or into wagons/ rail hoppers at a newly designed wagon loading station. The port authority plans to lease the terminal operation through a long-term concession and is currently in negotiations with potential bidders.

The terminal aims to increase the role of Azerbaijan as a strategic transit country for Central Asian states and boost president Ilham Aliyev’s diversification strategy for turning Azerbaijan into a trade and logistics hub of Eurasia. With the completion of new port in Alat with an annual throughput capacity of 15 million t/a, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway connecting European and Asian rail networks, and key infrastructure projects linking the country’s transport networks along the East-West and North-South axes, Azerbaijan aims to become the top choice for foreign logistics companies and investors intending to expand their business at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

SAUDI ARABIA

Utility completion for Ma’aden ammonia plant

The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has announced the commissioning of utilities for its $900 million, 1.0 million t/a ammonia plant in Ras Al-Khair Industrial City. Overall construction completion is expected in 4Q 2021, with full operations beginning in 1Q 2022, according to the company. The ammonia plant is the first part of Ma’aden’s $6.4 billion Phosphate 3 expansion, which will add 3 million t/a of ammonium phosphate fertiliser production capacity to increase its total installed phosphate capacity to more than 9 million t/a.

Ma’aden CEO Abdulaziz Al Harbi said: “This is a tremendous milestone for our phosphate portfolio. We have been moving ahead with the construction during the COVID-19 pandemic and thanks to the dedication of the Ma’aden team and our partners, construction has been completed for the utility section and pre-commissioning activities started.”

BOLIVIA

YPFB recommissioning continuing

Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) says that the plan for the repair and recommissioning of its stalled PAU ammonia-urea plant project at Bulo Bulo is 85% complete, with the restart of operations at the plant expected for June 2022. Contracts for the supply of equipment and materials have been agreed, and more than 200 plant staff hired. Companies from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay are reportedly interested in buying up to 1.4 million t/a of urea, once the plant is back in operation.

RUSSIA

Financing agreement for blue ammonia plant in Siberia

Russian energy company Novatek says that it has reached a preliminary agreement with Gazprombank and PJSC Sberbank to finance the construction of a gas-based ammonia plant on Siberia’s Yamal peninsula. Novatek said the plant, to be built close to the town of Sabetta, will produce low-carbon ammonia using carbon capture and storage (CCS), injecting the CO2 produced into local underground reservoirs. Novatek did not disclose the capacity of the ammonia plant, but described it as a “pilot” facility.

AUSTRALIA

Woodside considering green ammonia exports to Japan

Australian oil and gas producer Woodside is collaborating with Japanese companies IHI and Marubeni to explore the production and export of ‘green’ ammonia to Japan. The ammonia would be produced from hydroelectric power in the Bell Bay region in the northeast of the island of Tasmania. Woodside says that the capacity of the proposed generation plant could eventually be scaled up to as much as 250 MW to produce green hydrogen as feedstock for green ammonia exports.

The initial phase of the partners’ studies will focus on deepening their understanding of Japanese and Asian ammonia markets, with technical and commercial evaluations underway. Japan is stepping up its efforts to capture opportunities for green hydrogen and ammonia in order to deliver its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Leigh Creek raises capital for UCG syngas project

Leigh Creek Energy has raised A$18 million which it says will allow it to begin construction of a commercial underground coal gasification (UCG)-based syngas and power generation project in South Australia. The project, 550 km north of Adelaide, eventually aims to become the largest UCG site in Australia and a globally significant producer of nitrogen-based fertiliser for agriculture. However, UCG has an unhappy history in Australia, with Linc Energy’s project in Queensland getting the process banned in the state,

Leigh Creek says that the funds will pay for 3D Seismic surveys, drilling and construction of gasifier chambers, acquisition of power generation infrastructure and general working capital. The 5 MW syngasbased power plant is expected to be constructed by the end of March 2022. This forms Stage 1 of the company’s plans, with the larger Stage 2 involving increasing syngas production, a larger power plant and the construction of a downstream 1.0 million ammonia-urea plant, all at a total cost of A$2.6 billion. A definitive feasibility study on Stage 2 of the project is due to be completed by the end of this year.

EPA approves fertilizer import project

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved the development of the CBH Kwinana fertilizer import project. The project involves the construction of a dedicated liquid urea ammonia nitrate pipeline on the existing Kwinana Grain Terminal jetty, crossing the shoreline and running underground to storage tanks within the proposed onshore facility. The facility will comprise three liquid urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) storage tanks with a total capacity of 48,000 t, a shed for the storage of up to 80,000 t of dry fertilizer, water management infrastructure including swales and a 3,000 m3 evaporation pond, as well as hardstand areas including access roads, truck washdown bays, a site office, amenities, and weighbridges.

CANADA

Northern Nutrients to build enhanced urea plant

Northern Nutrients, a crop nutrition company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has announced that it will build sulphur enhanced urea fertilizer manufacturing facility at its site. Construction will begin in July 2021 with expected completion early in 2022. The facility will use Shell Thiogro technology, a patented process for the incorporation of micronised elemental sulphur into urea, resulting in a sulphur form that is available to plants across the growing season.

Northern Nutrients is owned by Ross Guenther, along with Matt and Rob Owens of Emerge Ag Solutions, also based in Saskatchewan. The sulphur facility is another step of Northern Nutrients’ long-term strategy to bring new sustainable fertilizer technologies to Western Canadian farmers. For three years, Northern Nutrients has been importing the patented Shell sulphur urea into North America, a uniquely suitable fertilizer product, which has been widely distributed to retailers in Western Canada.

“The adoption of the products by producers and the anticipated increasing demand has convinced us to produce our own form of the sulphur-enhanced urea in Canada,” says Ross Guenther, president and co-owner of Northern Nutrients.

Matt Owens of Emerge Ag Solutions and co-owner of Northern Nutrients says, “We first tried the sulphur product three years ago, and all our growers who have tried it have increased their acres and moved all of their sulphur requirements over to the Shell micronized sulphur urea product. They like the product (11-0-0-75) because it is readily available to the plant early and throughout the growing season, it mixes well in any dry blend, and it has a low salt index compared to other forms of sulphur.”

“Once we saw how our customers responded to it, we thought we’d like to invest in the company, so we are very optimistic about what the sulphur product and the new phosphorus product could mean for farmers. The lower salt index is important in our area, and I also like that it is much less dusty than ammonium sulphate,” says Rob Owens, president of Emerge Ag Solutions and co-owner of Northern Nutrients. “We are very excited to bring these products to dealers and farmers in the West.”

Curtis Bowditch from Tisdale, Saskatchewan has been using the sulphur-enhanced urea for three years. He says, “The seed safety of the product was a game changer for our farm and allows us to get both our phosphorus and sulphur in the seed-row for the first time. Logistically it was a huge time saver.”

DENMARK

EUDP to support green ammonia plant

The Danish Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP) has awarded an 11 million euro grant to a 5,000 t/a green ammonia project being managed by the Skovgaard Invest, Vestas, and Haldor Topsoe. The project aims at building a 10 MW green ammonia plant on Jutland directly coupled to local wind and solar power generation – 12 MW from six existing Vestas wind turbines and 50 MW from new solar panels. The plant is expected to be operational by 2023.

The partnership says that green ammonia can serve as a clean fuel for for the shipping industry, potentially replacing significant volumes of fossil fuels and helping accelerate the transition to a world powered by renewable energy. The plant will be a so-called dynamic ammonia plant, where the power from wind turbines and solar panels will be connected directly to the electrolysis units, making it more cost-effective than using battery or hydrogen storage. Topsoe will design the plant to secure optimal production and adapt to the inherent fluctuations in power output from wind turbines and solar panels. The ammonia plant will interface to a green hydrogen solution developed by Vestas, integrating electrolysis with wind and solar. In addition, the renewable energy generation will be connected directly to the national grid so surplus power can be sold to the grid.

Kim Grøn Knudsen, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Topsoe said: “we are proud that the Danish technology program acknowledges our project as being unique when it comes to developing and demonstrating new energy technology that holds a global potential. The green ammonia plant is a prime example of how renewable electricity can be converted to sustainable fuels via electrolysis. For us, this is one of more partnerships showing that we already today have the technologies to introduce new clean solutions showcased by this green ammonia project.”