Topsoe: dynamic renewable ammonia production in China

By Julian Atchison on January 31, 2023

Topsoe & Mintal Hydrogen will develop a dynamic, renewable ammonia project in Baotou, Inner Mongolia (Baotou shaded red on the above map). Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Click to learn more. Topsoe & Mintal Hydrogen will develop a dynamic, renewable ammonia project in Baotou, Inner Mongolia (Baotou shaded red on the above map). Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Topse has been selected by Mintal Hydrogen as the technology provider for a new renewable ammonia plant in Baotou, China. Similar to Topsoe’s project in Skovgaard, Denmark, the electrolyser plant in Baotou will be directly connected to renewable energy generation, with no battery storage or buffering. Inner Mongolia is home to some of China’s biggest wind and solar generating facilities, with 74 GW installed across the Inner Mongolian desert and the neighboring province of Gansu. The Baotou ammonia plant will produce 390,000 tonnes per year, beginning production in 2025.

Establishing a commercial size green ammonia plant in Baotou, really is a breakthrough in China for producing carbon neutral fuels and chemicals…this landmark project…will support China’s move to a greener economy.

Mintal Hydrogen General Manager XiaoLong Fu in Topsoe’s official press release, 19 Jan 2023

Being chosen to contribute to this ground-breaking project is clear evidence of our ability to deliver state-of-the-art solutions and to support the energy transition and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions also in China.

Topsoe MD (China) Dajun Yang in his organisation’s official press release, 19 Jan 2023

China developments

Although data is hard to come by, China’s coal-heavy ammonia production industry is steadily shifting to less carbon-intensive feedstocks. The combination of huge volumes of renewable energy coming online, deployment of newer, more efficient technologies and national decarbonisation plans is encouraging projects like this one in Inner Mongolia, Envision Energy’s renewable ammonia projects in Chifeng and Jinzhou, and China Machinery Engineering Corporation’s proposed plant in northwest China (renewable energy plus storage).

Chinese shipyards feature heavily in news announcements for newbuild, ammonia-ready vessels (although this is unsurprising, with Clarksons reporting that Chinese shipyards secured 49% of new build vessel orders in 2022). Recently we’ve seen orders placed by:

  • Italian-based Grimaldi Group for at least ten ammonia-ready car carriers, with the first five to be delivered in 2025-6.
  • Danish firm Höegh Autoliners, with delivery dates set for the first eight of their ammonia-powered, Aurora-class design (beginning 2024).
  • And Swiss-based MSC’s order for six dual-fuel container ships, with the WinGD dual-fuel engine line that powers them to be commericalised by 2024-5.