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    Topsoe,First Ammonia to purchase electrolyzer cells for green ammonia production

    Sept. 16, 2022
    The production of 5 million metric tons of green ammonia annually will result in the elimination of 13 million tons of CO2 emissions every year.
    Photo by Vsevolod Chuvanov, Dreamstime.
    Factory for the production of ammonia.
    Factory for the production of ammonia.

    Technology firm Topsoe and First Ammonia, a developer of modular, commercial-scale plants for green ammonia production, signed a capacity reservation agreement to reserve Topsoe’s solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC) which will be used in green ammonia production.

    In accordance with the agreement, First Ammonia will initially purchase 500MW of SOEC units and expand the purchases to 5GW over the tenure of the deal. The energy-efficient, industrial-scale SOEC units will be installed at First Ammonia’s green ammonia plants worldwide. The projects will be the first commercial-scale, green ammonia production facilities in the world. The plants will begin operating in 2025.

    “We have the utmost confidence in Topsoe and its storied scientists and engineers, which is why we have chosen Topsoe as our partner,” said Joel Moser, CEO of First Ammonia. “With their cutting edge SOEC electrolyzers and industry leading ammonia synthesis, we will develop facilities around the world to produce millions of tons of green ammonia from water and air. Ammonia saved humanity from starvation a century ago as a replacement for depleted sources of fertilizers. Ammonia can save humanity once again as the workhorse of the hydrogen economy, replacing petrochemicals to decarbonize agriculture, transportation and power storage and generation.”

    “We need to accelerate the development and industrialization of sustainable solutions, while also increasing energy independence, which is why we are delighted to partner with First Ammonia on the global development of its green ammonia facilities,” said Roeland Baan, CEO of Topsoe. “With this agreement, we enable the production of millions of tons of green ammonia in support of the decarbonization agenda.”

    The 5GW agreement is the largest ever electrolyzer reservation. The production of 5 million metric tons of green ammonia annually will result in the elimination of 13 million tons of CO2 emissions every year.

    Topsoe’s SOEC manufacturing plant will be set up in Herning, Denmark.

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.