Sungrow Hydrogen and CRRC Zhuzhou have secured electrolyser supply contracts for the first phase of a geothermal-powered hydrogen and ammonia project in Olkaria, Kenya, developed by Chinese firm Kaishan Group.
Kaishan signed a steam supply agreement with state utility KenGen in October 2025, under which KenGen will supply steam from existing geothermal wells for Kaishan to generate 165 MW of electricity to power the electrolysers. Chinese firm Wuhuan Engineering is serving as engineering, procurement, and construction contractor. Works on the site began in November 2025.
Sungrow will supply 16 alkaline electrolysers rated at 1000 Nm³/h each, while CRRC will provide eight units of the same rating, giving phase 1 a combined capacity of 24 000 Nm³/h, or around 120 MW. This is sufficient to produce roughly 19 000 tpy of hydrogen assuming continuous operation, which will be converted to the 100 000 tpy of ammonia planned for phase 1.
Kaishan have revealed its plans to scale to 200 000 tpy of ammonia at full build-out, with output processed into 480 000 tpy of green fertilizers comprising 180 000 tpy of urea and 300 000 tpy of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). The Kenyan Government will offtake the fertilizer for distribution to local farmers to reduce import dependence. Total investment stands at around US$800 million, with annual revenues projected at US$220 million - 250 million over a 25-year operating life.
Chinese electrolyser makers have been increasing their equipment exports in recent months, supplying to projects in Europe, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Sungrow delivered 160 MW of alkaline electrolysers to Acme's green ammonia project in Oman, a 3 MW containerised PEM system for Italy's MW-scale, solar-to-hydrogen project, and a containerised alkaline system to a green hydrogen blending project in Brazil.
Original article written by Chingis Idrissov for Argus Media.