Tag: Blue ammonia

VK Arora of KPI examines the technical and operational challenges of decarbonising legacy and new ammonia plants, drawing on a European case study of full-scale conversion supported by robust process and integration design. It also presents three US case studies exploring partial strategies, such as green hydrogen blending and oxygen enrichment, to reduce CO2 emissions and improve throughput. Together, these examples highlight a phased, cost-effective approach to decarbonisation, with blue hydrogen serving as a near-term transitional feedstock.

CF Industries is planning to construct the world’s largest low-carbon ammonia plant in Louisiana as part of a joint venture (JV) with Jera and Mitsui.

Horisont Energi says that it has secured a non-binding offtake deal with “a European energy group” for ammonia sales from its Barents Blue clean ammonia plant at Markoppnes in northern Norway. Sales and purchase agreements are targeted for completion in 2026. Horisont is pressing ahead with the 1 million t/a project in spite of the withdrawal of project partner Fertiberia, and the exit of Polish company Orlen from a related CCS project. Front end engineering and design work has not yet been completed, but the project has been working on commercial agreements for the supply of gas, offtake of clean ammonia and storage of CO2 . Carbon capture is projected to be above 99%, and it is expected to be the most energy-efficient clean ammonia plant in the world. Barents Blue is supported by a $48 million grant as part of the EU IPCEI hydrogen program, Hy2Use. The project is targeting a final investment decision (FID) in 2026 and estimated production start in 2029/2030.

Wi th future demand for both low carbon methanol and ammonia depending to a considerable extent on their take-up as low carbon shipping fuels, recent developments in the EU and IMO may help accelerate that process, as detailed in CRU’s most recent Low Carbon Hydrogen and Ammonia Outlook.

CF Industries has formed a joint venture with JERA, Japan’s largest energy company, and Mitsui & Co, a leading global investment and trading company, for the construction, production and offtake of low-carbon ammonia.

New carbon capture-based plants could see US nitrogen capacity jump over the next few years, but Trump attacks on IRA tax credits may scupper some ongoing projects.

As a tumultuous 2024 draws to a close, CRU’s fertilizer team to make a few predictions for the year ahead.

Industry focus on technologies to reduce the carbon intensity of ammonia and methanol production has been intensifying. In this article thyssenkrupp Uhde, Proton Ventures, Toyo Engineering Corporation, Stamicarbon, BD Energy Systems and KBR report on some of their latest technology developments towards decarbonisation.