Yara International (Yara) has officially opened 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 3 million tpy of low-emission ammonia to Europe.
Yara has inaugurated its new ammonia import terminal in Brunsbüttel in the presence of representatives from German and Norwegian authorities. The terminal will help strengthen its core nitrogen business while generating value-accretive growth in a low-carbon future.
Up to 3 million tpy of low-CO2 ammonia can be imported via the terminal in Brunsbüttel. This would correspond to 530 000 t of hydrogen or around 5% of the total European hydrogen target for 2030.
With its significant import capacity, the new terminal in will play an important role in enabling the German hydrogen strategy and contribute to the country’s energy transition.
The ammonia can be delivered directly from the terminal to the point of use, where it could be cracked to low-emission hydrogen. The competitiveness of German industry, not least steel and chemicals, can only be maintained through decarbonisation. This can be achieved through cracking low-emission ammonia to hydrogen, for which significant quantities of ammonia will be needed.
Low-emission ammonia is produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity or using carbon capture and storage (CCS). Low-emission ammonia has key advantages that makes it attractive as a decarbonisation 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% of future national ammonia requirements will have to be imported by 2030. After this, the volumes will be even higher.