Successful development of world’s first ammonia cracker revealed
Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, Höegh Evi and partners have announced the successful development of the world’s first industrial-scale ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker. The technology paves the way for large-scale floating import terminals capable of producing large volumes of hydrogen from ammonia shipped by sea.
The project, which began two years ago, is part of Norway’s green platform programme which has provided EUR 5.9 million for the initiative, half of the total budget. The cracker, built at Sustainable Energy’s Norwegian Catapult Center in Stord, Norway, is thought to be a major step forward in the energy transition.
The industrial scale cracker has a modular design that could be integrated into floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) as well as dedicated floating hydrogen terminals. The technology is scalable, the partners say, enabling a sendout capacity of up to 210,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year. Ammonia storage can range from 10,000m3 to 120,000m3.
Höegh Evi CEO, Erik Nyheim, expressed his excitement. “The floating ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker developed by Höegh Evi, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions and partners is a game-changer for the hydrogen economy and the energy transition in Europe,” he declared. “Our floating terminals and cracking technology can unlock the full potential of global value chains for green hydrogen, providing European industry with a reliable supply of clean energy within this decade.”
Kjell Ove Ulstein, sales & market director at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, was also enthusiastic. “This pioneering development of the floating ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker represents a significant leap forward in our quest for sustainable energy solutions,” he said. “Together with Höegh Evi and our partners, we are not only addressing the challenges of hydrogen storage and transportation but also paving the way for a more resilient and flexible energy infrastructure.”
Partners supporting the project include the Institute for Energy Technology, the University of South-East Norway, Sustainable Energy, and BASF SE.
