Renewable fertiliser for coffee production: Nyeri Hill project breaks ground in Kenya
By on September 22, 2026
FID achieved earlier this year for 60 tons per year fertiliser plant on Nyeri Hill Farm with support from Germany
Click to learn more. The official ground breaking ceremony for the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre, located in Nyeri Hill Farm, Kenya.
This month, the ground breaking ceremony for a small-scale renewable ammonia plant took place on Nyeri Hill Farm in Kenya. Designed to produce 56.8 tons of zero-carbon ammonia-based fertiliser per year, the system will be fed by a ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system with capacity of 550 kW provided by Germany-based Soventix GmbH. A 220kW electrolyser, provided by (also Germany-based) manufacturer Enapter GmbH will produce the renewable hydrogen as well as 56.4 million litres per year of medical-grade oxygen which will be captured and supplied to the local hospital. The installation and integration of the system is expected to be provided by PT MBR Global Indonesia.
Decarbonisation-wise, the project is expected to decrease emission by 226 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Additionally, further emissions are saved as the fertiliser is produced onsite, avoiding transportation pollution.
The project, titled the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre (GHIC), reached FID in March 2026. Nyeri Hill Farm is one of Kenya’s largest coffee plantations, among other farming ventures, and aims to provide an example for other agricultural businesses with knowledge sharing and encouragement to pursue modern technology towards zero-carbon ammonia and hydrogen production projects and sustainability, environmental and social benefits. Nyeri Hill Farm received support from the Project Development Programme (PDP) administered by the German federal government, and the primary lesson from the partnership is to address financial requirements early on in the process as preparation is key to success.
By addressing financing requirements from the outset and involving implementation and financing partners early on, complex hydrogen projects can move beyond initial hurdles – including in developing and emerging economies.
Stefanie Stemmer, Kenya Country Manager and Hydrogen Desk at PDP in the German Energy Solutions Initiative press release, 13 Mar 2026
With this project, we aim to set an example for African agribusinesses seeking to build a reliable supply of low‑carbon fertiliser—to operate more sustainably and plan costs more effectively. Without the PDP team, we would not have embarked on this project. They accompanied us from the very beginning, showed us options for action, and enabled a trusting collaboration. Their support was particularly crucial in terms of financing and made it possible to successfully apply for UNIDO funding.
Boniface Mwangi, Finance Manager and Head of the Green Ammonia Project at Nyeri Hill Farm, in the German Energy Solutions Initiative press release, 13 Mar 2026
Finance and support from Germany, UK governments
PDP is a German-based initiative that is part of the Energy Export Initiative and is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It supports companies in developing and emerging countries in the pre-development of climate-friendly energy projects and brings them together with technical solution providers based in Germany.
PDP supported Nyeri Hill Farm’s application by identifying funding opportunities and making introductions to key financing parties including GET.invest (a leading European programme mobilising investment in clean energy in developing countries, co-funded by the European Union, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria) as well as German impact investor Starkmacher Impact GmbH who promised an interest free loan. PDP prepared the pre-feasibility study including evidence of demand for renewable ammonia.
The project also succeeded in United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)’s Accelerate-to-Demonstrate (A2D) facility selection process and secured a grant covering the major share of financial investment and achieved FID in March 2026. A2D is primarily funded by the UK government’s Department of Energy Security & Net Zero.