German energy company EnBW has acquired a 10% equity stake in the SkiGA project, as well as securing long-term offtake rights to the renewable ammonia produced at the Norwegian facility. SkiGA will be completed in 2026, producing 100,000 tonnes per year of renewable ammonia.
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.
Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolysis combines concepts from alkaline and PEM. Although AEM can potentially offer the best of both worlds compared to conventional technology, challenges such as oxygen sensitivity, stack scale-up and current density still need to be addressed. Germany-based Enapter is leading the commercialization of AEM systems, with other electrolyzer manufacturers now developing their own products.
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.
EnBW, VNG and Jera will jointly conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the construction of an ammonia cracker demonstration plant at the Port of Rostock. The port joins a list of European ports where large-scale ammonia cracking is being considered, or a demonstration plant has already been announced: Antwerp, Rotterdam, Wilhelmshaven, Liverpool and Immingham amongst others.
New industry partnerships between suppliers, offtakers and existing infrastructure owners will boost confidence for project developers in the fast-growing renewable ammonia industry. Recent announcements from Namibia, Germany and Norway demonstrate that a comprehensive ammonia supply chain is being established between Europe and key global locations, making FID & project investment decisions more straightforward.
The CAMPFIRE consortium is exploring the feasibility of ammonia-powered cruise liners on the Baltic Sea. Project partners Rostock Port, Yara, DNV and Carnival Maritime discussed progress to date at a recent Maritime Ammonia Insights webinar, including promising logistics, infrastructure & safety findings.