In the first stage of Project Gaucho, 3 GW of electrolysers will be powered by a 4.2 GW wind farm, leading to the production of up to 1.7 million tons of ammonia per year. RP Global and German development agency GIZ will develop the project, supported by an official German government program for ramping up the nascent hydrogen industry.
Backed by the German Federal Government, MAN Energy Solutions will lead a consortium building on previous work to design and test an ammonia-powered four-stroke engine for marine applications.
Fertiglobe has won the first H2Global pilot auction for renewable ammonia, promising to deliver 397,000 tons of renewable ammonia between 2027 and 2033. H2Global’s announcement comes at the end of a two year auction process. Following the H2Global announcement, Fertiglobe committed to a twenty-year offtake deal for renewable hydrogen feedstock from the Egypt Green Hydrogen project, demonstrating the investor certainty fostered by the auction.
Approved by the national cabinet, the draft law aims to create a legal framework for rapid development and expansion of hydrogen infrastructure, including ammonia import and cracking facilities. Relevant planning, approval and procurement procedures will be simplified and digitalized where possible, and projects covered by the Act will also be considered in the “overriding public interest”, with some important caveats. Germany’s national cabinet also approved a CCS Act this month, aimed at decarbonising hard-to-abate industrial processes.
The Canadian and German governments have agreed to establish a bilateral funding window for hydrogen derivative exports between the two countries. H2Global will conduct “coordinated supply and demand side auctions”, with ammonia-producing projects on Canada’s Atlantic coast likely frontrunners for funding. In related news, Pattern Energy, lead developer of one of these export projects, will work with Mabanaft to explore a renewable ammonia supply chain between Newfoundland and Hamburg.
More than €4.7 billion is now available to support the growth of hydrogen derivative imports to the EU. Via its implementation entity Hintco, H2Global has already launched a series of auctions to fund ten-year purchase agreements for methanol, ammonia and SAF.
Germany and the Netherlands have forged a groundbreaking new hydrogen partnership, doubling down on their common vision of a thriving European green hydrogen import market. The countries have announced a joint H2Global tender worth €600 million launching in 2024, as well as a plan to develop cross-border hydrogen infrastructure. Also this month, a new €4 billion commitment to Africa from Germany will act as the “starting signal” for deeper cooperation on hydrogen & renewable energy. Meanwhile, a recent Fraunhofer ISE study provides key insights into the export markets that are best equipped to meet this new demand.
Germany’s updated national hydrogen strategy forecasts that hydrogen demand in the country will skyrocket by 2045, including new demand for hydrogen and ammonia power generation. An auction process ending in 2026 will spur the construction of 4.4 GW of “sprinter” power plants around the country, generating electricity from pure hydrogen or ammonia. This will support the continued integration of renewable energy into Germany’s national grid.
H2Global has quadrupled its funding for low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives, financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The funding will support H2Global’s contract-for-difference instrument which covers the increased costs of producing “green” hydrogen and provides secure long-term contracts for suppliers.
In maritime ammonia updates this week:
News this week: future green bunker fuel hub planned for Bornholm, more Haldor Topsoe news, Australia partners up, 23 key players kick-off ammonia maritime fuel study, $100 billion hydro-hydrogen and ammonia in the DR Congo, Egypt planning $4 billion green hydrogen project, AP Ventures leads investment in Amogy, full steam ahead for MS Green Ammonia, new blue ammonia plant in Canada and new engineering contracts signed for key blue ammonia projects.
Welcome to the Ammonia Wrap: a summary of all the latest announcements, news items and publications about ammonia energy. This week: a 30 GW Power-to-X project in Mauritania, green hydrogen and ammonia in Egypt, €8 billion for 62 hydrogen projects in Germany, Cummins' electrolyser gigafactory in Spain, Ammonia engine development in Portugal and Shchekinoazot gets a new decarbonisation partner.
Earlier this month Germany announced the adoption of a National Hydrogen Strategy. This is the latest piece to fall into place for the European Union’s broad strategy to become a zone of comprehensive sustainability. The German plan comes a few beats after the European Commission's unveiling of its Green Deal framework, but Germany is positioning itself as the organizational hub for the Green Deal's hydrogen energy elements.