Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) and Abu Dhabi Ports have agreed to work together to develop a green ammonia export facility.

The plant would be fuelled by hydrogen produced by an electrolyser facility paired with a 2GW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant. The green hydrogen would be turned into liquid ammonia to supply ships as a bunker fuel and for export from via pressurised gas carriers.

Ammonia is already shipped widely on these carriers, which can also transport LPG. Conversion to ammonia is considered to be one of the best ways of transporting hydrogen in the short-term, although other technologies are in development.

“Green hydrogen requires large-scale low-carbon electricity production and desalinated water. Taqa is an internationally recognised leader in both of these” Thabet, Taqa

The Taqa-Abu Dhabi Ports project will also feature a storage facility at Khalifa Port, providing the opportunity for it to become a hub for imports and exports of green ammonia.

“Green hydrogen requires large-scale low-carbon electricity production and desalinated water. Taqa is an internationally recognised leader in both of these,” says Jasim Husain Thabet, CEO of Taqa. The two firms have signed a memorandum of understanding.

South Korea and China have rising demand for ammonia, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar both centres of production in the Middle East.

But the ammonia trade could be dramatically changed by increasing hydrogen demand from countries looking to decarbonise, with Germany and Japan often noted as likely sources of demand.

Ammonia is also often cited as one of the best ways to decarbonise the shipping industry, which currently is largely powered by fuel oil, a significantly more carbon-intense fuel.

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Author: Tom Young