In this Technology Insights article, we explore the different technology options for low-emission ammonia production from gas feedstock. What are the different energy, carbon capture, scale and maturity trade-offs that need to be considered? What technology choices are project developers currently making?
Horisont Energi has signed two offtake agreements for ammonia from its under-development Norwegian plant. German gas importer & wholesaler VNG will purchase between 100,000 - 300,000 tonnes per year to distribute to its German industrial customers. Local gas supplier Barents NaturGass intends to purchase 100,000 tonnes per year for distribution to customers around Hammerfest, including its potential use as transportation fuel.
Horisont Energi will partner with PGNiG Upstream Norway for the Barents Blue ammonia project. After the departure of original CCS partners Equinor and Vår earlier this year, Horisont also announced that Fertiberia would join as 50:50 development partner.
New import terminals, energy hubs, bunker facilities & upgrades to existing ammonia storage facilities are underway across Europe. This week, we explore new project announcements in Wilhelmshaven, Brunsbüttel, Rotterdam and Immingham. We visit Taiwan for another ammonia import terminal announcement, and look at a new partnership between thyssenkrupp and ADNOC to deploy large-scale cracking - the “last piece of the puzzle” for global ammonia trading.
The first episode of our new series Ammonia Project Features revealed interesting details about current and future low-carbon ammonia projects in Europe. Bjørgulf Eidesen (Horisont Energi) explained that the Barents Blue project aims to set an ambitious new standard for low-carbon ammonia production, particularly by demonstrating transparency on its CO2 footprint & other sustainability indicators. But, although Europe’s technical capacity for carbon storage is far greater than what will be required, Toby Lockwood (Clean Air Task Force) reminded us that progress is slow, with only half the capacity required by 2030 currently developed. Supporting policy, tight regulations and funding support is all required from a government level.
In recent updates for the Barents Blue project in far-north Norway:
Meet Horisont Energi to explore the progress of the Barents Blue project to date. We also take a deeper dive into the potential for blue ammonia production in Europe with the Clean Air Task Force.
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.
This week Horisont Energi, Equinor and Vår Energi entered into a new cooperation agreement for development of the Barents Blue facility, and also revealed the project is set to triple in size from 1 million tonnes per year blue ammonia to 3 million.
This week in Norway: i) Yara, Aker Clean Hydrogen and Norway's state hydropower company Statkraft are all equal owners in HEGRA, a new entity that will steer electrification & decarbonisation at Yara's Porsgrunn ammonia plant, ii) St1 and Horisont will jointly develop a new green ammonia project in Finnmark, northern Norway, and iii) Grieg Edge and hydro generator Arendals Fossekompani launch a new green ammonia venture: North Ammonia.
Horisont Energi and the Port of Rotterdam announced a new MoU this week to set up a corridor for the transport of blue ammonia from northern Norway to Rotterdam. An FID for Horisont's 1-million-tonne-per-year Barents Blue project (the source of the blue ammonia) is due by the end of next year, with delivery to Rotterdam possible by 2025.
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: two new large-scale ammonia projects in the UAE, RWE, BASF combine for 2 GW "Offshore-to-X" project, green ammonia exports from Tasmania, coal co-combustion trials in Japan, Japanese shipping industry chases decarbonisation, South Korean companies join together in local green ammonia consortium, new funding for ammonia-from-wastewater research and Horisont Energi and Equinor join forces for the Polaris project.
Welcome to the Ammonia Wrap: a summary of all the latest announcements, news items and publications about ammonia energy. There's so much news this edition that we're bringing you two, special Wrap articles. Our first focuses on ammonia production - both existing and new build plants. This week: InterContinental Energy to build 25 GW of green ammonia production in Oman, Cummins and KBR to collaborate on integrated green ammonia solutions, New green ammonia pilot plant for Minnesota, Stamicarbon launches new technology for sustainable fertilizer production in Kenya, Haldor Topsoe and Shchekinoazot to explore ammonia plant decarbonisation in Russia, 1 million tonne blue ammonia per year in Norway and Trammo announces off-take MoU for 2GW AustriaEnergy plant in Chile.