Scaling flexible ammonia production in China

 

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China possesses excellent renewables potential and already has its own domestic electrolyzer manufacturing industry. This provides a unique opportunity to decarbonize existing ammonia production in China, as well as deploying newbuild, renewables and electrolysis-based production projects. In this session we explore two “flexible” production projects under development, and consider what it takes to deploy and operate GW-scale electrolysis facilities.

Topsoe is a major ammonia licensor and ammonia synthesis catalyst manufacturer. It has developed a “flexible” ammonia production technology which will be demonstrated in Denmark by the end of 2023. A scaled-up version of this same technology (capacity of 1,800 tonnes ammonia per day) will be deployed in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, where Mintal Hydrogen is developing a renewable ammonia project based on wind power.

In Chifeng, Envision Energy is developing a renewable ammonia project of its own. Flexible ammonia production based on wind power will come online from later this year, with a 20,000 tonnes per year demonstration plant nearing completion. We’ll hear more about project progress, key timelines and technology choices to enable flexible production.

Furthermore, large-scale renewable ammonia production requires electrolyzer facilities at the GW scale. The Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) is a research institute focused on open innovation in the process industry. To scale-up electrolyzer facilities to the size required, what other factors need to be considered?

To discuss, Per Aggerholm Sørensen (Topsoe), Carol Xiao (ISPT) & Lili Lu (Envision Hydrogen) were joined in conversation by AEA Technology Manager Kevin Rouwenhorst.