Articles
H2Tech: Projects Update
Lee Nichols, VP Content/Editor-in-Chief
ASIA-PACIFIC
India plans ambitious conversion to green H2
According to a report by Petroleum Economist, India plans to replace 5 MMtpy of gray H2 consumed in its refining, chemicals, fertilizer and metals sector with green H2 by 2030. The phased approach will help India reach its goal of exporting up to 10 MMtpy of green H2 within that same timeframe.
Phase 1 includes nearly $2.5 B in investments to increase domestic electrolyzer manufacturing capacity. Within Phase 1, which runs to 2026, India is also planning to establish a host of standards and regulations for H2 production, storage, transportation and utilization by 2024.
As part of its National Green H2 Mission, India plans to replace ammonia imports with domestic green alternatives by 2035, boost green fertilizer production and promote green ammonia as a bunker fuel at all major domestic ports.
Western Australia aims to be a leader in green H2 projects
Western Australia announced in January that it has allocated land for five new green H2 projects in the Australian state. These projects include:
- Fortescue Metals Group’s 5.4-GW renewable energy hub near Ashburton, and a second plant in Boodarie. These two plants will produce green H2 to help decarbonize the company’s iron ore mining operations.
- Also in Boodarie, Alinta plans to develop a grassroots green H2 plant.
- bp’s Asian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) project in the state’s Pilbara region. The multi-phase project will utilize onshore wind and solar power generation to produce 26 GW of power, which will be used as a renewable power supply to local customers, as well as produce green H2 and green ammonia. At full capacity, AREH will produce up to 1.6 MMtpy of green H2 and 9 MMtpy of green ammonia.
- Posco has announced plans to invest approximately $28 B in H2 manufacturing projects in Australia, producing up to 1 MMtpy of H2 by 2040. In Western Australia, Posco is developing a plant to turn iron ore into direct reduced iron and then into hot briquetted iron for export.
These projects, along with a few others, will help Western Australia become a leader in green H2 production.
More than $3 B planned for green H2 production in Inner Mongolia
Sinopec is planning to invest more than $3.3 B in two green H2 projects in Inner Mongolia. These two projects are the $2.9-B Ulanqab project and the $430-MM Ordos Phase 2 project. The Ulanqab green H2 plant will receive renewable energy feedstock from a 1.7-GW wind farm and 804-MW solar farm. Once operational, the facility will produce 100,000 tpy of green H2. The green H2 will be sent to Sinopec’s Beijing Yanshan petrochemical complex. The Ulanqab project is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
In the city of Ordos, Sinopec is developing a second phase of its Ordos project. Phase 2 includes the construction of a 400-MW wind farm to produce 20,000 tpy of green H2. The green H2 will be used at the Zhongtian Hechuang olefins plant in Ordos. The Ordos Phase 2 project is scheduled to be completed in mid-2024.
CANADA
Black & Veatch to conduct FEED for Nova Scotia green H2 hub
EverWind Fuels Co. has selected Black & Veatch to conduct a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for its green H2 and ammonia production and storage facility in Nova Scotia. Located in Point Tupper, the facility’s first phase will produce green H2 and green ammonia from feedstock provided by the Nova Scotia Power transmission system. Commercial operations are scheduled for 2025.
In a second phase, EverWind plans to incorporate wind power as additional feedstock. Combined, these two phases will produce 1 MMtpy of green ammonia.
CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA
Unigel to invest $1.5 B in green H2 production
Unigel will invest $1.5 B to develop a green H2 facility in the state of Bahia. Located in the city of Camaçari, the green H2 plant will be developed in three phases. At total capacity, the facility is expected to produce up to 100,000 tpy of green H2 by 2027. The facility will produce green H2 from wind or solar energy that will feed an electrolyzer supplied by thyssenkrupp Nucera. Production from Phase 1 will be exported to Europe.
WESTERN EUROPE
Linde engineering to conduct FEED on the H2H Saltend project
In late January, Equinor awarded Linde Engineering a FEED contract for the H2H Saltend low-carbon H2 project in the UK. The H2H Saltend project will incorporate carbon capture and a 600-MW low-carbon H2 production plant. The project is scheduled to be operational in 2027 and is the beginning portion of the much-larger Zero Carbon Humber initiative.
bp looking to develop H2 hub in Wilhelmshaven
bp is conducting a feasibility study to build a H2 hub in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The project includes the construction of a 130,000-tpy ammonia cracker that will convert imported green ammonia into green H2. The green H2 would then flow to customers in the Ruhr region and other demand centers. If greenlighted, the ammonia cracker could be operational in 2028.
Axpo and Rhiienergie to develop H2 production at Swiss hydropower plant
Axpo and Rhiienergie are building a H2 production facility at the Reichenau hydropower plant in the Domat/Ems municipality in Switzerland. Once operational in Q3 of this year, the facility will produce 350 tpy of green H2. The green H2 will be delivered to filling stations near the plant and will help Switzerland meet decarbonization goals.
Consortium to build green H2 plant in Huelva, Spain
A consortium consisting of Cepsa, Enagás Renovable and Alter Enersun plan to build a green H2 production facility in Huelva, Spain within the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley. The facility will utilize a 200-MW electrolyzer to produce green H2 that will be used at Cepsa’s industrial plants.
RUSSIA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)
Uzbekistan to build its first green H2 and ammonia production facility
ACWA Power, along with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy and Uzkimyosanoat, are developing a green H2 pilot plant in Chirchiq. The plant will be connected to an ammonia plant that is already operational in Chirchiq. Once operational, the plant will produce 3,000 tpy of green H2. Operations are scheduled to start in late 2024.
ACWA Power is also conducting a feasibility study for a 500,000-tpy green ammonia facility in the country. If built, the green ammonia plant will reduce Uzbekistan’s dependence on natural gas by 600 MMm3y. The feasibility study is scheduled to be completed by 2024.
U.S.
Linde to increase green H2 production in California
In response to increasing demand from the mobility market, Linde has announced plans to increase green H2 production capacity in Ontario, California. According to the company, Linde will build, own and operate several planned 5-MW PEM electrolyzers. The first of these projects is scheduled to be operational in 2H 2024.
ExxonMobil plans world’s largest low-carbon H2 facility
ExxonMobil is developing a 1-Bft3d low-carbon H2 production facility in Baytown, Texas. The facility will also incorporate carbon capture and storage technology to capture more than 98% of the facility’s produced CO2 (approximately 7 metric MMtpy).
In late January, ExxonMobil awarded Technip Energies a FEED contract for the project. ExxonMobil plans to take FID by 2024. If greenlighted, the facility is scheduled for startup in 2027–2028.
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