The Ammonia Wrap: India updates, continuous hydrogen production by SOEC, a new zero-emissions shipping company and Port of Rotterdam developments
By on March 31, 2021
Welcome to the Ammonia Wrap: a summary of all the latest announcements, news items and publications about ammonia energy.
Updates from India
India’s biggest solar developer ACME will invest $2.5 billion in a new green hydrogen and ammonia production facility to be built in Duqm, Oman. Details in the new MoU are limited, but ACME and project partner Tatweer (Oman Company for the Development of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm) aim for the facility to produce 2,200 tonnes of green ammonia a day using solar energy. ACME are no strangers to ammonia either: they hope to have a green ammonia pilot plant in Rajasthan operational next month.
And Adani Enterprises will collaborate with Maire Tecnimont to explore opportunities for producing chemicals, ammonia and hydrogen from renewable feed stock in India. Maire Tecnimont subsidiaries (including AEA member Stamicarbon) will provide the technologies necessary to industrialise green chemistry in India.
The PROMETEO project: continuous hydrogen production by SOEC
Stamicarbon is in the news again this week, joining a nine-member consortium led by ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development. The PROMETEO project pilot will use 25 kW solid oxide electrolyser cells to produce 15 kg of green hydrogen per day at constant output, with a view the replicating on a MW scale. Swiss-Italian firm SOLIDpower will provide the SOEC technology for the pilot.
Viridis Bulk Carriers: a new zero-emissions shipping company
Navigare Logistics, Amon Maritime and Mosvolds Rederi have joined forces to create a new zero-emissions shipping company, offering short sea bulk transportation on vessels powered entirely by ammonia (as well as replacing Europe’s ageing short sea bulk carrying fleet with new build, zero-emissions vessels). Viridis’ first project – “FlexBulk – Ammonia power” – already has backing from the Norwegian government. Click here to download the official press release.
Korean Register AiP for ammonia bunkering vessel
Korean Register has granted Approval in Principle (AiP) for an 8K ammonia bunkering vessel, the first of its kind in Korea. The new build vessel will be dual-fuel, running on diesel and ammonia. Early in 2020 Korean Register indicated that it considered ammonia to be the preferred alternative marine fuel, as reported by Ammonia Energy.
Two green hydrogen import MoUs for the Port of Rotterdam
The first is with the South Australian state government, and will assess the commercial viability of all transport options for green hydrogen to Europe, including its import as carrier vectors such as ammonia (we’ve already seen how this analysis plays out for Japanese hydrogen imports thanks to the SIP Energy Carriers program!). The new MoU is also part of a rapidly evolving hydrogen economy plan for the Australian state, with bipartisan support for developing export markets, local production capabilities and cooperating with international partners.
The second is with Chile’s Ministry of Energy, who the Port of Rotterdam sees as a key player in the green hydrogen space going forward. The agreement will see the Port and the South American country share knowledge, and cooperate to match supply and demand for green hydrogen internationally. Port of Rotterdam’s CEO Allard Castelein sees enormous economic and environmental significance in “setting up this trading lane”, while Chilean Energy Minister Juan Carlos Jobet believes the agreement puts Chile in a terrific position to be in the top three hydrogen exporters by 2040.
Taken together, these two MoUs also help the Transhydrogen Alliance (a new consortium including Trammo, Varo and Proton Ventures supported by the Port) make progress towards their goal of importing up to 2.5 million tonnes of green ammonia per year into the Port of Rotterdam.
Haldor Topsoe and Nel team up to offer green fuel solutions
And, as mentioned in Steve Crolius’ feature article the week on the rapid rise of green methanol fuel, Nel will supply its alkaline and PEM electrolysis technology for hydrogen production as part of a new partnership with Haldor Topsoe that will deliver end-to-end green ammonia and methanol solutions.
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