Green ammonia plant in Spain

Iberdrola España promotes the development of green ammonia in the country

Iberdrola España has received funding under the European call Connecting European Facilities Cross Energy Border Renewable (CEF Energy CBRES) for the project CICERONEGreenNH3stud to conduct studies for the whole ammonia production value chain.

Illustration of a green hydrogen production plant with an ammonia storage tank labeled NH₃.

This technology is strategic for driving the energy transition, as it enables better integration of renewable energy sources and promotes decarbonisation.

The project CICERONEGreenNH3stud will receive €3,4 million of funding to launch an articulated study covering the environmental assessment, market study and the engineering design needed for the construction of renewable energy sources, electrolyser and green ammonia plant and infrastructure in Spain. These studies will develop all requested investigations, preliminary assessment, regulatory compliance requirements and design activities needed before the actual works for infrastructure development to produce green ammonia in Spain can be launched.

The study, coordinated by Iberdrola España, is part of a wider project aiming at building an integrated industrial scale cross-border European green hydrogen maritime corridor and ammonia value chain under the broader “CEO-Alliance” initiative. As such, the CICERONE value chain will consist of independent but highly interconnected infrastructure assets located in different EU member states.

The overall goal project scope is the installation of 400MW of additional renewable PV plant that will feed together with a renewable PPA a 120 MW greenfield green ammonia facility. The majority of the green ammonia produced will be shipped to Northern Europe where it will be handled and cracked back into hydrogen, while a minor share will be consumed in Spain to supply the local industries.

The overarching goal of this project is to contribute to decarbonise relevant industrial areas and to create a competitive green energy market. The CICERONEGreenNH3stud has been selected by the European Commission to appear as a representative initiative of the EC goals with the CEF Energy funding programs in their new CEF Energy funding brochure “CEF Energy 2023: Latest achievements and way forward”.

About the CEF CB RES scheme

CB RES projects are identified by the CEF Regulation and aim to promote cross-border cooperation between EU countries in the field of planning, development and cost-effective exploitation of renewable energy sources. CB RES projects may facilitate RES integration through energy storage or hydrogen production facilities with the aim of contributing to the EU’s long-term decarbonisation strategy.

This programme aims to provide financial support to meet EU decarbonisation targets by optimising national efforts for deployment of renewable energy and thus increase the security of energy supply.
CINEA's mission is to support stakeholders in delivering the European Green Deal through high-quality programme management

Iberdrola España and green ammonia

Iberdrola España is pioneer in green hydrogen with 2 real plants already operating in Spain: 20 MW for fertilizers in Puertollano and a 2.5 MW for heavy mobility in Barcelona. Our target is to globally reach 3 GW of electrolysers capacity installed by 2030. As a natural progression the Company is now developing green ammonia projects to serve customers in the chemical and fertilizer industry.

Green ammonia is produced using renewable energy sources as a sustainable, emission-free alternative. Ammonia is currently produced using natural gas, emitting in the process 1,8 tC02 per ton of ammonia. The ammonia market reached 185 Mt in 2022 and is responsible for for ~1% of total GHG emissions.

To produce green ammonia, green hydrogen must first be obtained through a process of water electrolysis. That is, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen, using electrical energy generated from renewable sources. The hydrogen is then combined with atmospheric nitrogen through a process known as Haber-Bosch synthesis, which allows hydrogen and nitrogen to react at high pressure and temperature in the presence of a catalyst to form ammonia. The end result is the production of green ammonia using green hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen.

What are the main uses of green ammonia?

This chemical compound is used in the production of agricultural fertilisers as ammonia is an essential source of nitrogen for plant growth. It is also used as a raw material in the production of a variety of chemical products, such as nitric acid, synthetic fibres, dyes and pharmaceuticals.

In addition to traditional uses, the emergence of green ammonia will give rise to new demand uses with high growth potential. Ammonia is considered an energy vector as it enables efficient hydrogen transport and storage. Another new use for green ammonia is as a fuel for ships and it could play a relevant role in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

All in all, the green ammonia economy will boost the industrial decarbonisation while reducing energy dependence on fossil fuels.