Sungrow Hydrogen has successfully shipped 160 MW worth of alkaline water electrolysis units to ACME in Oman, to be installed and utilised at ACME’s renewable ammonia project in Duqm on the country’s southern coast. Sungrow will also supply 16 alkaline electrolysis units to Kaishan Group for a geothermal ammonia production project in Kenya.
China-based Kaishan Group has signed an agreement to develop a 165 MW geothermal plant in Kenya to power renewable ammonia and fertiliser production.
Tarita Green Energy plans to develop a 40,000 tons per year solar-powered renewable ammonia project to be used for fertilizer production for the local agricultural industry.
Kenya aims to substitute 50% of current, ammonia-based fertilizer imports with locally-produced alternatives, based on the production of electrolytic hydrogen. New guidelines from Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority set carbon intensity thresholds for “green” hydrogen and ammonia, as well as the incentives on offer for project developers. The new launch follows commitments to promote local fertilizer production made by heads of state at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit. We also explore two existing renewable projects in Kenya from Maire Tecnimont and Talus Renewables.
US-based Talus Renewables has deployed its modular, containerised ammonia & fertiliser production system in Kenya. Solar power and water will be utilised to produce one tonne per day of fertilizer for the Kenya Nut Corporation, with multiple, larger plants already planned. The system will also be deployed in the US for the Iowa-based Landus Cooperative.
In our December episode of Ammonia Project Features, our three guests focused on renewable ammonia production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Allan Manhanga (Sable Chemicals) took us through the story of renewable ammonia production in Zimbabwe from 1972 to 2015, and what is needed to restart the industry there. Ralph Koekkoek (MET Development) presented a new renewable ammonia & fertilizer project underway in Kenya, with a focus on local farmers and national food security. And Marcel Jacobs (African Hydrogen Partnership) emphasized the important role of organisations in raising awareness & de-risking future projects, particularly through approaches like the proposed East African Green Hydrogen and Fertilizer Corridor.
Fortescue Future Industries and the Kenyan government will develop a 300 MW, geothermal-powered ammonia & fertiliser production plant. The project is part of a larger pipeline (25 GW) of renewable energy generation being explored by FFI and Kenya. In Mauritania, bp will explore the potential for large-scale renewable hydrogen production, and a new report from Masdar has laid out the opportunities on offer for Africa: as much as 10% of the global renewable hydrogen market by 2050, or 60 million tonnes per year.
Explore developments in Sub-Saharan Africa with MET Development, Sable Chemicals and the African Hydrogen Partnership, including a renewable ammonia production projects near Lake Naivasha in Kenya.
Maire Tecnimont and Greenfield Nitrogen have agreed to develop a green ammonia plant in Iowa, USA. Maire Tecnimont subsidiary NextChem will lead a feasibility study into a 240 tonne per day green ammonia plant based on Stamicarbon's Green Ammonia Technology.