EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, VNG AG and the Japanese energy company JERA signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal of jointly conducting a feasibility study to evaluate the construction of an ammonia cracker demonstration plant. The project partners want to examine whether the construction of a demonstration plant to produce H₂ from ammonia in the Rostock, Germany port area is feasible. The learnings from the operation of the demonstration plant include insights into process optimization, the organization of supply and demand, and the economic framework conditions along the entire value chain.

Ammonia is considered as a very promising H₂ carrier for long-distance transport of H₂. Clean ammonia (NH₃) can be produced by combining renewable H₂ with nitrogen (N₂) – the main constituent of air. The project would allow for the transport of large quantities of H₂ as ammonia to Rostock from oversea regions, where it could be re-converted into H₂ and then transported to German consumers and customers. An existing ammonia terminal in the Rostock port area could be used for importing ammonia.

"At EnBW, we are working at full steam to transform our generation capacities from fossil fuels such as coal to non-fossil fuels such as H₂. The joint project between EnBW, VNG and JERA fits in very well with our efforts to become climate-neutral by 2035," said Georg Stamatelopoulos, Member of the EnBW Board of Management/Chief Operating Officer Sustainable Generation Infrastructure. "Ammonia is suitable for storing and transporting H₂. With an ammonia cracker, ammonia can be reconverted to H₂ and be transported to German customers. The key is to create the right conditions now for the fastest possible decarbonization of the business and the market ramp-up for H₂ - in particular through planning certainty for investors and international collaborations."