As the industrial world braces for future demands, the need for sustainable solutions becomes ever more pressing. According to The Energy Transitions Commission, by 2050, an extra 24 million tons of ammonia will be required for chemical uses, and 44 million more tons for fertilizers.
To meet this demand sustainably, several Spanish companies are turning to green hydrogen to produce ammonia.
Iberdrola & Investment in Puertollano
Iberdrola, a leader in the green energy sector, has recently secured €242 million from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) for their hydrogen project in Puertollano, Ciudad Real. Partnering with Fertiberia, they aim to produce green ammonia and fertilizers. Furthermore, Iberdrola has announced a significant investment of nearly €427 million to establish a large-scale green ammonia production plant in Sines, Portugal. This facility, sprawling across 21 hectares, will utilize 137 MW electrolyzers to produce approximately 95,000 tons of green ammonia annually.
Cox & Hybrid Plant Development
With over 25 years of experience in hydrogen technology, Cox has undertaken a study focused on producing green ammonia in a hybrid plant in South Africa, leveraging solar, wind, and battery energy. They’ve utilized an in-house tool, LHySA, designed to simulate the plant’s entire lifecycle, providing key performance and efficiency data for cost-effective operation planning.
Cepsa’s Strategic Agreements
Cepsa has struck agreements to store green ammonia in Algeciras and green methanol in Rotterdam to streamline the transportation between Spanish and Dutch ports. Furthermore, they are developing the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, including a future green methanol plant in Huelva with an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons and a green ammonia plant capable of producing up to 750,000 tons annually.
Group Térvalis & Collaborative Efforts
Group Térvalis, through its subsidiary Fertinagro Biotech, collaborates with Iam Caecius SL and Energías de Portugal (EDP) on the Ver-Amonia project in Andorra, Teruel. Supported by a €53 million European grant, this initiative aims to be operational by 2027, producing 15,000 tons of green ammonia annually. The infrastructure will comprise two closely linked plants: one with 35 MW of wind turbines and photovoltaic panels generating electricity for the other plant’s 25 MW electrolyzers.