Hydrogen Age® is a European start-up developing the first international model for exporting natural geological hydrogen using ammonia as a logistics solution.
A pilot project is being implemented in Spain: exploration of 12 target structures, organization of local NH₃ production, and delivery to external markets.
The goal is to create a scalable logistics platform for H₂ supplies that bypasses pipeline infrastructure.
The world is on the verge of a new raw materials revolution
Today, natural geological hydrogen is beginning to be perceived not so much as a strategic energy source as a basic raw material for the industry of the future.
Exploration companies around the world are taking only their first cautious steps in geological exploration, trying to figure out where and how to look for commercial flows of natural hydrogen.
Undoubtedly, the main task at this stage is to confirm the existence of commercially viable flows. However, if we look just a few years ahead, the next strategic challenge becomes clear: the logistics of extracted hydrogen.
Traditional solutions — building hydrogen pipelines or transporting liquefied hydrogen — require billions in investment and projects spanning 15–25 years.
Meanwhile, commercial natural hydrogen flows could be discovered within the next five years. The industry needs to prepare alternative, rapidly implementable logistics solutions in advance.
Why ammonia?
Against the backdrop of these challenges, ammonia is one of the most practical technological solutions for the large-scale transportation of natural hydrogen without the need to build new infrastructure.
Advantages of ammonia:
- Developed infrastructure: there are more than 120 ports and terminals worldwide for handling ammonia (IEA, 2023).
- Capital savings: the cost of an ammonia pipeline is 1.5–2 times lower than that of a hydrogen pipeline (U.S. DOE, 2020).
- Simpler and safer storage: Ammonia can be stored safely at a temperature of –33°C and a pressure of around 10 bar, whereas liquid hydrogen must be stored at an extremely low temperature of –253°C at almost atmospheric pressure. It is important to note that when hydrogen transitions from a liquid to a gaseous state, its volume increases by approximately 850 times, which creates additional requirements for safety and thermal insulation systems.
- Technological maturity: the ammonia synthesis process (Haber-Bosch) has been proven by industry over the last hundred years.
Real-world examples of ammonia use
- Maersk is building a fleet of ammonia-fueled ships.
- Sunfire and Uniper (Germany) are implementing green ammonia projects.
- Yara Pilbara (Australia) exports green ammonia to Japan and Korea .
These examples demonstrate that global leaders are already betting on ammonia as a new global energy carrier.
Safety issues
Ammonia is a toxic substance that requires strict compliance with storage and transportation regulations.
Nevertheless:
- More than 170 million tons of ammonia are safely transported around the world every year.
- International IMO and ISO standards ensure a high level of safety.
Conclusion: risks exist, but they are manageable and have been proven over many years of practice.
Limitations of the model
Despite its clear advantages, the use of ammonia is associated with a number of technological and economic limitations:
- Losses during the reverse decomposition of ammonia into hydrogen amount to 15–20% of the energy content (when using traditional cracking methods at 500–600°C; alternative solutions, such as SAFCell technology, can potentially reduce losses through low-temperature electrochemical decomposition at ~250 °C with higher overall efficiency).
- Mini ammonia plants require:CAPEX: $12.9 to $20.3 million for a capacity of 10–20 tons per day, Capital costs: $734 to $936 per tonne of annual capacity.
Note: The final capital investment figures will be refined after a full feasibility study has been conducted. Local infrastructure will need to be developed for ammonia processing at consumption sites.
Natural hydrogen supply chain via ammonia
📍 Exploration of commercial flows ➔
🏭 On-site ammonia production (H₂ + N₂) ➔
🚛 Road transport ➔ 🚂 Rail tankers ➔ 🚢 Sea tankers ➔
🏗️ Ammonia terminals ➔
⚗️ Processing ammonia back into hydrogen ➔
⛽ Use of hydrogen/ammonia: transportation, industry, energy.
Current status of the Hydrogen Age® project
Hydrogen Age® has completed the initial phase of geological exploration and preparation of a pilot program in Spain.
Promising areas for field work have been identified.
The company is preparing for systematic exploration of 12 target structures with pilot well drilling, with an expected success probability of 8% — which is in line with global wild cat statistics for previously unexplored areas.
Hydrogen Age® business model
Hydrogen Age® is building a vertically integrated asset development model:
- Exploration and confirmation of commercial natural hydrogen flows
- On-site ammonia production (or alternative hydrogen monetization)
- Logistics organization through existing infrastructure.
In the future, either strategic divestment of assets or project scaling in collaboration with industry partners is possible.
Project economics: preliminary estimates
According to current calculations:
- Cost of natural hydrogen production: $0.5–1/kg,
- Transportation via ammonia: $0.8–1.2/kg,
- Market price of hydrogen in Europe: €4–6/kg (industry), €10–15/kg (mobility).
Note: All figures are preliminary and will be refined as the project develops and the infrastructure is refined.
Prospects for scaling up after the pilot
If commercial flows are successfully confirmed, Hydrogen Age® plans to move to a full-scale development phase with a projected production capacity of 50–100 tons of hydrogen per day in the first stage, followed by an expansion to 500 tons per day within 5–7 years, with a focus on exports to European industrial and energy centers.
Key project risks
- Geological risks: need to confirm flows.
- Technological risks: ammonia processing efficiency.
- Regulatory risks: transportation and processing permits.
- Market risks: volatility of hydrogen and ammonia prices.
- Operational risks: creation of the necessary infrastructure.
Hydrogen Age® incorporates active management of these risks into its development strategy.
Target markets and consumers
- Industrial clusters in Southern and Western Europe,
- Seaports and shipping companies,
- Energy companies focused on hydrogen technologies.
Our goal is to reach preliminary off-take agreements already at the pilot stage.
Financial requirements for the pilot stage
To implement the pilot project in Spain, Hydrogen Age® plans to raise:
- €150 million to conduct a full exploration cycle (exploration of 12 target structures with well drilling).
Part of the initial financing was provided by the founders, with the remainder to be raised through specialized early-stage funds or strategic investors.
Project scaling strategy
Scaling will be organized through:
- Attracting a strategic investor in the energy or chemical industry
- Construction of mini ammonia plants with the involvement of experienced EPC contractors (based on the EPC-turnkey model).
The capital structure will be optimized depending on the results of exploration and market conditions.
Target dates
- Pilot phase: 60 months from the closing of financing.
- Start of commercial production and processing: 5 years after the start of the pilot.
Conclusions for the investment community
Investing in Hydrogen Age® at the pilot program stage provides a unique opportunity to enter the emerging natural hydrogen market before it reaches commercial maturity, when the potential value of assets and project margins will be at their highest.
Hydrogen Age® presents a unique opportunity to create a commercial natural geological hydrogen project in Europe with efficient global logistics via ammonia.
Use of ammonia:
- Accelerates the commercialization of natural hydrogen
- Reduces capital and regulatory barriers
- Creates a scalable, flexible international supply platform.
Hydrogen Age® is not just a project — it is one of the first steps towards a new energy reality. We are at the beginning of the largest technological shift in energy in the last hundred years.
We invite strategic partners and investors to participate in the most promising stage of the development of a new industry.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Energy News. This content is presented as the author’s analysis based on available information at the time of writing. It should not be considered as representative of Energy News or its editorial stance. Readers are encouraged to consider this as one perspective among many and to form their own opinions based on multiple sources.
