New electrolysis-based ammonia projects in China

By Julian Atchison on May 07, 2023

Da’an, northeast China

Graphic visualisation of Jilin Electric’s renewable ammonia demonstration project in Da’an, northeast China. Source: Jilin Electric Power Co.
Click to enlarge. Graphic visualisation of Jilin Electric’s renewable ammonia demonstration project in Da’an, northeast China. Source: Jilin Electric Power Co.

Jilin Electric Power Company has selected the first electrolyser manufacturers to provide units for its under-development renewable ammonia project in northeast China. The Da’an project will produce 180,000 tonnes of ammonia per year via wind & solar energy, battery storage and electrolytic hydrogen (as well as buffer hydrogen storage).

Thirty-nine units of ~5 MW alkaline electrolysis capacity will be installed, with two Chinese-based companies winning initial tenders. LONGi Hydrogen will provide fifteen of those units, and SANY Hydrogen eight of those units. The other two winning bids for the remaining alkaline units are yet to be announced. These will be installed side-by-side with PEM electrolysers: fifty units of an undisclosed (but presumably similar) size. This multi-provider, multi-technology approach is in keeping with one of Jilin’s key aims for this project – “to open up the entire industrial chain of hydrogen energy and promote the construction of a new energy system [in China]”. LONGi is also the sole electrolysis technology provider for one of the world’s largest operational electrolytic hydrogen plants: Sinopec’s Green Hydrogen Demonstration project at the Kuqa refinery in northern China.

More renewable announcements

As well as Da’an and Topsoe & Mintal Hydrogen’s dynamic ammonia production plant (Inner Mongolia), several other projects have been announced in China. Although official information is difficult to come by, reported projects include:

  • Ningxia Baofeng Energy, a coal-to-chemicals plant where electrolytic hydrogen will be used in the production of 100,000 tonnes “synthetic” ammonia per year and 500,000 tonnes of “ammonia water”1, a commonly traded chemical.
  • Yingde Gases Group, which is developing a 50,000 tonne per year electrolysis-based ammonia plant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia (announced July 2022).
  • the Tongliao industrial park, a fully integrated renewable energy, hydrogen, ammonia, gravity storage facility being developed by China Tianying (announced September 2022).
  • and the recently announced Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park Project, a joint venture between Jilin Province and China Energy Group. The first phase of the project will produce 200,000 tonnes per year of ammonia from electrolytic hydrogen feedstock, powered by wind & solar energy. At full scale, the $4.3 billion facility will produce 600,000 tonnes per year of renewable ammonia.
The Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park, featuring a large-scale, hydrogen-based chemical demonstration facility producing ammonia and methanol. Source: Seetao.
Click to learn more. The Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park, featuring a large-scale, hydrogen-based chemical demonstration facility producing ammonia and methanol. Source: Seetao.

Don’t forget to join us later this month to explore one of these projects: Topsoe & Mintal Hydrogen’s dynamic production plant in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Ammonia Project Features will feature guests form Topsoe, ISPT and Chinese electrolyser manufacturer PERIC – sign up here.

1 Ammonia water or Ammonium hydroxide is typically a 25-35% by weight solution of aqueous ammonia.