DEVAN PILLAY, President for Heavy Industries, Schneider Electric, London, England 

As the world accelerates towards net-zero, green hydrogen (H2) and green ammonia (NH3)—both of which are produced by the electrolysis of water using renewable electricity—are emerging as pivotal clean fuels to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors like heavy manufacturing, shipping and chemicals.  

Their potential to transform global energy systems is immense, replacing fossil fuels as high-temperature heat sources to reduce these industries' carbon footprints. The green H2 market is projected to grow exponentially and is expected to comprise 50%–65% of the global H2 supply mix, valued at $1.4 T/yr, by 2050.¹ 

Green NH3, meanwhile, is vital for industries such as shipping and agriculture, acting as both a H2 carrier and a direct fuel source. By 2050, green NH3 could supply up to 45% of global maritime shipping fuel, with its market projected to reach $44.3 B by 2032.² 

Benefits of green H2 and NH3. The following are some of the benefits of green H2 and NH3: 

• Decarbonization: Green H2 and green NH3 are produced using renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydropower, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuel-based methods, with near-zero direct carbon emissions during production. These substances are also emerging as critical feedstocks—raw materials used to manufacture energy, chemicals and other industrial products—offering cleaner alternatives to fossil-derived inputs. 

• Energy storage: Green H2 excels as a versatile energy storage medium. It stores surplus renewable energy during periods of peak production, later powering fuel cells or feeding into industrial processes. This helps address the intermittent issues common with green energy sources.  

• Flexible transportation solutions: In addition to decarbonizing industrial processes, both green H2 and NH3 offer solutions where battery-electric options may fall short. H2 fuel cells can power long-haul trucks and buses, while NH3 shows potential as a carbon-free maritime fuel.   

• Established infrastructure: The chemical industry already has extensive infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines, for handling and transporting NH3, which can be repurposed for energy applications, potentially reducing the need for new infrastructure and accelerating its adoption as an energy carrier.   
• International trade: Green H2 and NH3 can be internationally traded, opening new avenues for countries with abundant renewable resources. They can export clean energy in the form of these carriers, contributing to global energy transition efforts and fostering new economic opportunities.   

The transformative impact of Artificial intelligence (AI). Unlocking the potential of these clean fuels hinges on overcoming cost and scalability barriers. The high energy intensity of H2 and NH3 production requires a major expansion of global renewable energy infrastructure. Currently, the availability of green power for production can fluctuate, in addition to issues concerning the safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness of green H2.  

This is where AI is having a transformative impact. From enhancing production processes to reducing costs, AI is accelerating commercial viability by optimizing electrolysis, supply chains, storage and distribution; integrating renewable energy into production; and using fault detection and diagnostics.   

Data analytics optimize green H2 and NH3 production by leveraging advanced technologies, like the internet of things, machine-learning (ML) and AI-driven resource management. From real-time monitoring systems to predictive analytics and resource efficiency optimization, the applications of AI in clean fuels production are myriad. 

The results: faster adoption, greater scalability and a more resilient path to decarbonization. Today, the benefits of AI are proven and demonstrate transformative potential through real-world use cases. As the production of green H2 and NH3 scales up, sectors that have historically found decarbonization goals challenging may rapidly future-proof and contribute to global climate goals.  

AI and green H2. Today’s H2 use is dominated by fertilizer, oil refining and chemicals, and it is mostly fossil-based. However, green H2 is emerging as a viable alternative in traditionally hard-to-abate sectors like steel, shipping, aviation and energy storage, all of which need clean fuels to meet decarbonization goals.   

AI is already demonstrating its ability to optimize the efficiency of critical production processes. AI-driven parameter analysis in electrolysis, the core chemical process for making green H2, keeps it running as efficiently and reliably as possible: 

• The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has reported that AI-enabled weather forecasting improved renewable energy prediction by 25%, ensuring H2 production aligns with green power availability.    
• In Japan, the National Institute for Materials Science has utilized AI to identify electrocatalysts for green H2 from 3,000 candidates in just one month, a process that would have taken 6 yrs manually.³ 

Leveraging our proprietary platform^a, the first of its kind ‘power + H2-to-X' project will simulate the integrated production of power-H2-NH3 by optimizing the full renewable energy process, enabling our partner to design the correct system configuration and control strategy for energy storage and improve the system’s safety, stability and cost-effectiveness.⁴ 

The end-to-end process optimization project addresses the issue of fluctuation of energy supply and dynamic load changes. The goal is to achieve green and sustainable development through a proprietary digital twin platform^b and proprietary process simulation tools^c, showcasing the efficient use of new energy and decarbonization in heavy industry. 

AI and green NH3. NH3, the world’s second most produced chemical, is simultaneously an agricultural lifeline (used to produce nitrogen fertilizers for farming), a carbon headache (it is primarily produced from fossil fuels and natural gas) and a rising clean-energy commodity (as both a H2 carrier and direct fuel source).  

NH3 is produced using the century-old Haber-Bosch process, which involves reacting H2 with nitrogen from the air at high temperatures and pressures. Traditionally, it relies on H2 from fossil fuels, making it a significant source (roughly 1%–2%) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Integrating green H2 into the Haber-Bosch process means that production rates can be dynamically adjusted based on renewable energy availability and grid conditions, optimizing costs and resilience against grid price variability.  

Add AI into the mix, and green NH3 production becomes more efficient and sustainable. ​​In Spain, Fertiberia's NH3 production plant employed AI-driven optimization and predictive maintenance, resulting in annual savings of €200,000/project–€1.2 MM/project, with payback times typically under one year. This highlights the significant impact of data-driven strategies on clean fuel production processes.  

We emphasize the importance of integrating the simulation of power and process systems during the engineering phase of a project’s lifecycle, leading to designs that are optimized for embedded CO2 emissions, energy consumption and sustainability. This approach also improves and streamlines activities related to project commissioning and start-up, accelerating the time to target production and revenue.  

For example, our digital EP&P platform^a deploys a unified, single team execution approach and can help deliver a 20% reduction in capital expenditures associated with electrical, instrumentation and controls scope.⁵ 

The clean energy future is intelligent. An era of next-generation industrial systems centered on new energy is coming. As the ultimate clean energy in the 21st century, green H2 promises enormous potential and is gradually catching people’s attention as part of the solution envisioned for reducing carbon emissions around the world. 

AI has a critical role to play. It is transforming the green H2 and NH3 sectors, addressing key challenges and unlocking new efficiencies. From optimizing electrolysis processes to enhancing supply chain logistics, its integration is a game-changer in making these technologies more viable and scalable.   

Innovations including ML algorithms and AI-driven predictive maintenance systems are set to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs. New techniques can optimize electrolyzer performance, leading to higher H2 yields and lower energy consumption. These solutions could make green H2 more competitive with traditional fossil fuels, accelerating the transition to more sustainable energy.  

The synergy between green H2, NH3 and AI represents a powerful combination that is poised to revolutionize the global energy landscape. By harnessing AI's potential, we can address the challenges around efficiency, cost and scalability, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable energy future.   

NOTES 

^a Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ Power and Process 

^b ETAP Digital Twin Platform  

^c AVEVA Pro/II and Process Simulation 

LITERATURE CITED  

1 Gulli, C., B. Heid, J. Noffsinger, M. Waardenburg and M. Wilthaner, “Global energy perspective 2023: Hydrogen outlook,” January 10, 2024, online: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/oil-and-gas/our-insights/global-energy-perspective-2023-hydrogen-outlook  

2 Fortune Business Insights, “Green ammonia market size, share and growth analysis, by technology, application and regional forecast, 2024–2032,” December 8, 2025, online: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/green-ammonia-market-105642  

3 National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, “Evolution-capable AI promotes green hydrogen production using more abundant chemical elements,” March 4, 2024, online: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240302171516.htm  

4 Schneider Electric, “Schneider Electric signs an agreement with Shuimu Mintal for download center,” April 12, 2024, online: https://www.se.com/dz/fr/download/document/998_23334151/  

5 Kar, A. and Y. McColl, “Energy-automation-software triad to achieve sustainability in the ammonia industry,” March 23, 2023, online: https://blog.se.com/sustainability/2023/03/23/energy-automation-software-triad-to-achieve-sustainability-in-the-ammonia-industry/