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Green ammonia in Morocco: an update
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A key green ammonia project was affected by Morocco's suspension of diplomatic relations with Germany in March 2021, and has been forced to proceed slowly, without any interactions with its German partners. The cooperation agreement between phosphate & fertiliser giant OCP, German research institute Fraunhofer and the Moroccan Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) aimed to replicate Fraunhofer's pilot green hydrogen plant in Ben Guerir, Morocco. Although Ireland-based Fusion Fuel stepped into the void with a deal to develop a 183,000 tonnes per year green ammonia plant in Rabat, the transition is far from guaranteed. In his new publication, Professor Michaël Tanchum (Middle East Institute) argues renewable ammonia represents a unique opportunity for Morocco a "vicious" cycle into a "virtuous" one, and should be a priority for the country and the international community.

New ammonia-powered vessels: Newcastlemax & Panamax class
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Rio Tinto and AngloEastern have announced they will develop Newcastlemax class, ammonia-powered bulk carriers. The dry cargo vessels will be the maximum size allowed to dock in the Port of Newcastle, Australia: an important coal & iron ore port in global maritime trade. Both AngloEastern and Rio Tinto are members of an Itochu-led maritime fuel study investigating the use of ammonia. In Japan, a "greener ships" consortium has produced its first-ever ammonia-powered design: a Panamax-class bulk carrier. And the China State Shipbuilding Corporation will develop two 93,000 m3 ammonia-powered ammonia carrier vessels, with Bureau Veritas granting AiP for the vessel design.

JERA targets 50% ammonia-coal co-firing by 2030
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Japanese government funding via NEDO will support four critical ammonia energy projects, including JERA's new plan to demonstrate 50% ammonia-coal co-firing by 2030. Other projects include improved catalysts for ammonia production, low-temperature and low-pressure synthesis pathways, and developing 100% ammonia-fed boilers and gas turbines. In addition, a new cooperation agreement between ASEAN countries will see Japan support other members to adopt their ammonia energy solutions, particularly coal co-firing.

Sembcorp Marine granted AiP for ammonia bunkering vessel
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A consortium led by Sembcorp Marine has been granted AiP by the American Bureau of Shipping for a new ammonia bunkering vessel design. Sembcorp and its subsidiary LMG Marin (who was recently engaged by Grieg Maritime and Wartsila to design the MS Green Ammonia) were responsible for the design phase, which passed a rigorous HAZID assessment with support from the American Bureau of Shipping. Consortium partners also include Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Itochu, two organisations with growing ammonia interests in Singapore. The new announcement is one of a number of ammonia & ammonia-ready bunkering designs in progress, with Korean Register, Oceania, Kanfer, Azane Fuel Solutions and the Korean Green Ammonia Shipping/Bunkering Consortium all at various stages of progress with their designs.

Fortescue and Covestro enter into long-term off take agreement
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Fortescue Future Industries and German-based polymer manufacturer Covestro have entered into a long-term agreement for the supply of green hydrogen and derivatives, particularly green ammonia. Up to 100,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen will be delivered to Covestro locations in Asia, Europe and North America, possibly commencing in 2024.

Chilean government awards $50 million for key green projects
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CORFO - Chile's state-owned economic development agency - announced that US$50 million would be spread across six key green hydrogen projects, with the aim of attracting foreign investment and fast-tracking the start of green hydrogen production. Of particular interest to our readers is the HyEx project in Antofagasta, where explosives manufacturer Enaex have agreed to off take green hydrogen from ENGIE's to-be-built plant to produce green ammonia (and ultimately ammonium nitrate explosives for use in the mining industry).

Enova funding for three ammonia players: Yara, Horisont & Viridis
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Enova - Norway's government-owned, clean energy investment enterprise - announced funding to support some key ammonia energy projects currently in progress:

1. New Funding guarantees a final investment decision for the pilot phase of electrifying Yara's Herøya (Porsgrunn) ammonia plant.

2. Horisont Energi's Barents Blue project will now participate in the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hydrogen scheme.

3. And Viridis Bulk Carriers will receive a to-be-determined amount from to develop the first ammonia-powered cargo short sea bulk vessel in its future north European fleet.

thyssenkrupp to install 2-plus GW of electrolysers for NEOM
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thyssenkrupp will engineer, procure and fabricate a 2 GW+ electrolysis plant at the NEOM project in Saudi Arabia, based on their 20 MW alkaline water electrolysis module. The plant is scheduled to start production in 2026, with hydrogen from the facility will be used to make ammonia for export to global markets. At the Port of Rotterdam, thyssenkrupp will also take the lead on Shell's 200 MW, ‘Holland Hydrogen I’ project, with hydrogen production scheduled to start in 2024.

Trafigura plans new green export project in South Australia
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Trafigura and the South Australian state government will jointly fund FEED work into a commercial-scale green hydrogen export facility in Port Pirie, 200km north of Adelaide, the South Australian capital city. At full-scale the facility will produce 100 tonnes per day green hydrogen from 440 MW of electrolysers, with some earmarked for local use and the remainder to be exported as green ammonia (max. 200,000 tonnes per year). Oxygen produced during electrolysis will be sent next-door to Nyrstar's Port Pirie smelter, one of the world's largest producers of lead and silver. At full capacity, the electrolysis facility will meet 100% of the smelter's oxygen requirements.