Yara International recently inaugurated its renewable hydrogen plant at Herøya, Norway.
Yara’s new 24 MW plant at Herøya Industrial Park, which uses electrolysis of water and renewable energy, is now producing renewable hydrogen and ammonia. This facility is currently the largest of its kind in Europe, and it aims to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 41,000 tonnes by replacing natural gas with renewable hydrogen as a feedstock. This is a notable achievement, reflecting Yara’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and contributing to the decarbonization of the food value chain and other energy-intensive industries.
While Yara’s plant is a significant development, it is essential to consider it within the broader context of the hydrogen energy sector. Other companies and countries are also making substantial strides in hydrogen technology. For instance, Japan and Germany have invested heavily in hydrogen infrastructure, and several companies globally are developing large-scale hydrogen projects. Yara’s plant, though a leader in Europe, must be viewed as part of a larger, competitive landscape where continuous innovation and scaling are critical.
Yara’s collaboration with Lantmännen to deliver the first low-carbon footprint fertilizers highlights the importance of partnerships in advancing sustainable solutions. This collaboration exemplifies how the entire food value chain can work together to reduce emissions. Additionally, Yara’s strategic focus includes developing a new portfolio, Yara Climate Choice, which will feature fertilizers produced using both renewable energy and carbon capture storage (CCS).
However, the scalability of these solutions remains a challenge. As Yara CEO Hans Olav Raen noted, developing renewable ammonia at scale takes time. The integration of CCS technology, as demonstrated by Yara’s agreement with Northern Lights for CO2 transport and storage, is a crucial step. This agreement represents the world’s first cross-border CCS operation and aims to cut annual CO2 emissions by 800,000 tonnes at Yara Sluiskil.
