The Anonymous Widower

Uniper To Make Wilhelmshaven German Hub For Green Hydrogen; Green Ammonia Import Terminal

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Green Car Congress.

This is the first two paragraphs.

Under the name “Green Wilhelmshaven,” Germany-based international energy company Uniper plans to establish a German national hub for hydrogen in Wilhelmshaven and is working on a corresponding feasibility study.

Plans include an import terminal for green ammonia. The terminal will be equipped with an ammonia cracker for producing green hydrogen and will also be connected to the planned hydrogen network. A 410-megawatt electrolysis plant is also planned, which—in combination with the import terminal—would be capable of supplying around 295,000 metric tons or 10% of the demand expected for the whole of Germany in 2030.

I can’t help feeling that there is some bad thinking here.

The Wikipedia entry for ammonia, says this about green ammonia.

Even though ammonia production currently creates 1.8% of global CO2 emissions, a 2020 Royal Society report claims that “green” ammonia can be produced by using low-carbon hydrogen (blue hydrogen and green hydrogen). Total decarbonization of ammonia production and the accomplishment of net-zero targets are possible by 2050.

So why is green ammonia imported rather than green hydrogen, which may have been used to manufacture the ammonia?

Green ammonia would appear to have two main uses in its own right.

• As a feedstock to make fertiliser and other chemicals.
• As a possible fuel for large ships, which could also be powered by hydrogen.

The only thing, I can think of, is that as liquid hydrogen boils at -253 ° C and liquid ammonia at -33 ° C, ammonia may be easier to transport by ship.

It may make a better fuel for large ships for the same reason.

This policy briefing from The Royal Society is entitled Ammonia: Zero-Carbon Fertiliser, Fuel And Energy Store.

This is the introductory paragraph.

This policy briefing considers the opportunities and challenges associated with the manufacture and future use of zero-carbon or green ammonia.

It is an excellent explanation of green ammonia and a must read.

Hydrogen for Wilhelmshaven

On the other hand, Wilhelmshaven, which is situated on Germany’s North West Coast would be in a good position to be a terminal for a hydrogen pipeline or electrical interconnector from the Dogger Bank, where both the Netherlands and the UK have plans for some of the largest windfarms in the world.

The UK’s Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is being developed by SSE, looks to have an initial capacity of 4.8 MW, whereas the North Sea Wind Power Hub, being developed by the Danes, Dutch and Germans on their side of the Dogger Bank could be rated at up to 110 GW.

Wikipedia says this about how the two huge projects could be connected.

The power hub would interconnect the three national power grids with each other and with the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

We could be seeing a 200 GW power station in an area of the sea, generally only known to those who listen to the shipping forecasts and fans like Marti Caine.

Under a section in the Wikipedia entry for the North Sea Wind Power Hub, which is entitled the North Sea Wind Power Hub Consortium, these points are made.

• It is hoped that Norway, the United Kingdom, and Belgium will join the consortium.
• Dutch gas-grid operator Gasunie has joined the consortium, suggesting converting wind power to gas and using near offshore gas infrastructure for storage and transport.
• The Port of Rotterdam became the fifth member of the consortium.

This looks like a party, where some of our North Sea gas fields and infrastructure, lying in the triangle of the Humber, Teesside and the Dogger Bank could add a lot of value.

We could even see hydrogen generated in the European Eastern part of the Dogger Bank, stored in a worked-out gas field in the UK sector of the North Sea and then when needed, it could be pumped to Germany.

A 410 Megawatt Electrolyser

Ryze Hydrogen are building the Herne Bay electrolyser.

• It will consume 23 MW of solar and wind power.
• It will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen per day.

This would produce just 5.6 percent of the hydrogen of the Wilhelmshaven electrolyser

In H2 Green Steel Plans 800 MW Hydrogen Plant In Sweden, I wrote about a 800 MW electrolyser, that would produce 380 tonnes of hydrogen per day.

It looks like the Wilhelmshaven  electrolyser is very much a middle-sized one and would produce around 65,000 tonnes per year.

Conclusion

It looks like the Germans will be importing lots of green ammonia and green hydrogen from the North Sea.

April 18, 2021 - Posted by AnonW | Energy, Hydrogen | Ammonia, Dogger Bank, Electrolysis, Germany, Herne Bay Electrolyser, North Sea, North Sea Wind Power Hub, Ryze Hydrogen, SSE, Wilhelmshaven, Wilhelmshaven Electrolyser, Wind Power