Ammonia exports from Brazil taking shape

By Julian Atchison on February 13, 2023

Casa dos Ventos, Comerc, Transhydrogen Alliance

Casa dos Ventos, Comerc, and the Transhydrogen Alliance will develop a 2.2 million tonne per year, electrolytic ammonia project at the Port of Pecém on Brazil’s north coast. Exports to Rotterdam will begin in 2026.
Click to learn more. Casa dos Ventos, Comerc, and the Transhydrogen Alliance will develop a 2.2 million tonne per year, electrolytic ammonia project at the Port of Pecém on Brazil’s north coast. Exports to Rotterdam will begin in 2026.

Brazilian renewable energy developer Casa dos Ventos, energy service provider Comerc and the Europe-based Transhydrogen Alliance (THA) will develop a mega-scale, electrolytic ammonia export project in Ceará state, Brazil. Located within the existing Industrial and Port Complex of Pecém, the 60-hectare site will feature 2.4 GW of electrolysis capacity , producing 2.2 million tonnes of ammonia per year once fully developed. Exports to the Port of Rotterdam will begin in 2026. Similar to other Brazilian ammonia projects under development, the Pecém plant will use Brazil’s renewables-heavy electricity grid to power its electrolysers.

THA was formed in early 2021 by Proton Ventures, Trammo DMCC and Varo Energy. In November 2021, the consortium launched the Pecém project following discussions with the Ceará state government. Since then, the consortium has been joined by Global Energy Solutions (GES), and gained a supporting partner in the Port of Rotterdam authority. GES is a key member of the large-scale cracking study underway at Rotterdam.

With the vision that Brazil can be a global power in the production and export of green hydrogen through leveraging one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world, the THA chose Pecém as one of the most promising places to produce and supply green hydrogen to Europe. By combining forces with Casa dos Ventos and Comerc, we provide industry-leading skills and capabilities across the entire value chain, from renewable energy supply, hydrogen and ammonia production technology, storage and logistics, maritime transport, and delivery to customers in the port of Rotterdam.

THA CEO Paul Baan in Proton Ventures’ official press release, 2 Feb 2023

Proton Ventures: engineering partner & tanks in Morocco

Proton Ventures will build two world-scale ammonia storage tanks for OCP Group at the Jorf Lasfar complex in Morocco. Source: Proton Ventures.
Click to learn more. Proton Ventures will build two world-scale ammonia storage tanks for OCP Group at the Jorf Lasfar complex in Morocco. Source: Proton Ventures.

THA founding member Proton Ventures has had a busy few months. In late January, Proton selected Fichtner to assist on a feasibility study on potential ammonia production plants in South America, Europe and potentially Africa. In December last year, Proton announced it had been awarded a contract by Moroccan fertiliser giants OCP Group to build two world-scale ammonia storage tanks at the Jorf Lasfar complex. The new tanks would be able to accommodate increased domestic ammonia production by OCP, with the company recently setting itself a goal of producing one million tonnes of “green” ammonia per year by 2027, and eventually replacing imports to Morocco. Jorf Lasfar is also the location of Proton Ventures and OCP’s planned renewable ammonia demonstration plant.