Momentum is building to establish a domestic renewable ammonia sector in India. To explore opportunities and outline key next steps, we are joined by ACME Group, University College London, and the India Hydrogen Alliance.
Spanish energy & chemicals giant Cepsa has announced two new, significant ammonia partnerships this week. Cepsa will supply renewable ammonia imports to ACE Terminal in Rotterdam from 2027, realizing the vision for a green maritime corridor between the Netherlands and the Mediterranean. And, together with Fertiberia, Cepsa will develop a 1 GW renewable hydrogen plant near the La Rábida energy park. The plant will produce hydrogen feedstock for Fertiberia’s Palos de la Frontera ammonia & fertiliser manufacturing complex, and Cepsa’s own industrial needs in the area.
India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission includes more than $2 billion in direct government subsidies for both electrolyser manufacturing & the domestic production of electrolytic hydrogen using renewable electricity. On the ammonia front, ammonia-based fertiliser imports are set to be completely replaced by domestic production in 2034-5, and all major Indian ports will be required to establish ammonia bunkering & refueling facilities by 2035.
Greenko has ordered 140 MW of electrolysers from John Cockerill for its under-development renewable ammonia plant in northern India. Last year the pair agreed to build an electrolyser gigafactory in Kakinada, southern India, which will also be home to a Greenko renewable ammonia production plant. Phase one of the Kakinada project will produce 250,000 tonnes per year of renewable ammonia, with Uniper to act as exclusive off-taker for the ammonia product.
Our last episode of Maritime Ammonia Insights featured new technologies being developed for the emerging offshore ammonia production industry. We explored SBM & Imodco’s jetty-less export terminal, H2Carrier’s P2X Floater vessel and CyaNH3’s FPSO hull design, as well as the unique opportunities on offer for floating ammonia producers.
In our January episode of Ammonia Project Features, we explored the current commercial status of solid oxide electrolysis, and its potential to be integrated with ammonia production. Rick Beuttel (Bloom Energy) and Jakob Krummenacher (LSB industries) also discussed the utilization of the technology in a new decarbonization project at LSB’s ammonia plant in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Hyphen Hydrogen Energy has signed off-take MoUs with a major chemical company and South Korean hydrogen producer Approtium bringing the total off-take for their Namibian mega-project to just over one million tonnes of renewable ammonia each year. Also in Namibia, Fortescue Future Industries will support the early stages of the new Daures Green Hydrogen Village project.
As part of the HyEx project, Mitsui & Co., Toyo Engineering and Enaex will develop a solar-powered, 18,000 tonnes-per-year renewable ammonia plant in Tocopilla, northern Chile. Just outside of Tocopilla, Sumitomo and Chilean transmission utility Colbún have teamed up to explore renewable ammonia production & export. The pair will also assess million-tonne-per-year production in Chile’s south. Also in South America, Proton Ventures have contracted Fitchner to assess the feasibility of planned renewable production projects.
Meet Engie and Enaex, partners in the HyEx project in Antofagasta (Chile), where Engie will produce renewable hydrogen and Enaex will produce green ammonia to feed subsequent production of mining explosives.
ATCO Australia’s ScaleH2 ammonia export project in NSW will receive funding from both the Australian and German governments. Feasibility work will begin on the 800,000 tonnes-per-year ammonia plant, also being developed by NSW Powerfuels. The announcement comes as the two-year HySupply project released its final report, and a new government-level MoU was signed to develop an export supply chain from Australia to Rotterdam.