The Hydrogen Stream: Germany opens Europe’s first green ammonia tender

The German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has launched the first tender procedure to procure green ammonia for Europe, with tenders for green methanol and e-SAF to follow shortly thereafter. The business-led H2 Global Foundation said first deliveries of sustainable hydrogen derivatives will reach Europe at the end of 2024 or early 2025. BMWK is providing €900 million ($950 million) to H2 Global’s Hintco subsidiary, with additional funding for 2023. H2 Global said prices will be determined in a “competitive international bidding process,” with 10-year purchase agreements.

The Western Australian state government, the Port of Rotterdam, and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) have agreed to jointly study the possibility of fast-tracking hydrogen exports from the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area, Western Australia. The study will examine technology solutions and port master planning. “It will include a site-specific estimation of hydrogen generation, supply costs to the Port of Rotterdam, and possible port-to-customer transports to Germany,” said the Western Australian government. It will invest AUD 500,000 ($338,000), while the Port of Rotterdam will provide €250,000, and BMBF up to €500,000.

Repsol, Naturgy, and Reganosa have joined forces to develop a renewable hydrogen production center in Galicia, Spain. They will install an electrolysis plant powered by 100% renewable energy in Cerceda (A Coruña). “The renewable hydrogen plant will have an initial capacity of 30 MW, scalable in different phases up to a total potential of 200 MW,” said Repsol, noting that operations will start in 2025. “It will produce more than 4,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year in the first phase and reach a total production of 30,000 tons per year.”

Cemex has announced plans to install hydrogen injection tech at four of its cement plants in Mexico, as it aims to inject hydrogen into cement kilns as a catalyst. Ricardo Naya, president of Cemex Mexico, said it plans to increase alternative fuel consumption in its kilns by 8% to 10%. Since 2021, it has been using hydrogen at all of its European plants. 

Fusion Fuel has been approved for €36 million in grant funding for its Sines Green Hydrogen Valley Alliance in Portugal. The Ireland-based company said that it will allocate €22.5 million of the total to its H2 Hevo-Sines project, which equivalent to 75 MW of electrolysis capacity. It will develop, own, and operate the project on 121 hectares it has secured in Portugal's Sines region. It expects to start construction in 2024.