Germany – Yara International opens its new ammonia import terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany. Brunsbüttel is located on the North Sea and Kiel Canal, making it an ideal hub for enabling the hydrogen economy in Germany. With the new terminal, Yara has the infrastructure to enable imports of up to three million tonnes of low-emission ammonia to Europe annually. This would correspond to 530,000 tonnes of hydrogen or around 5% of the total European hydrogen target for 2030.
The ammonia can be delivered directly from the terminal to the point of use, where it could be cracked to low-emission hydrogen.
Low-emission ammonia is produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity or using carbon capture and storage (CCS). This makes it attractive as a decarbonization product in hard-to-abate sectors. This includes the traditional ammonia use such as fertilizers but also new applications such as a low-emission shipping fuel, emission cuts for refineries, power generation, and as a hydrogen carrier.
Demand for low-emission ammonia in Germany is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection estimates that up to 70 percent of future national ammonia requirements will have to be imported by 2030. After this, the volumes will be even higher.
