Johnson Matthey, a specialist in sustainable technologies, and engineering company thyssenkrupp Uhde, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly offer a fully integrated solution for low carbon (blue) ammonia production.
By joining forces, thyssenkrupp Uhde and JM, which have had a 25 year relationship in ammonia production, can access the blue ammonia market, offering proven technologies combining the uhde ammonia process and JM’s hydrogen expertise through its LCHTM technology, which will enable the production of blue ammonia with up to 99 % CO2 capture. Demand for ammonia is growing because it is easier to store and transport than pure hydrogen.
thyssenkrupp Uhde has licensed, engineered, or constructed over 130 ammonia plants worldwide since 1928 with its unique uhde dual pressure technology. JM’s LCH technology, which utilises the company’s autothermal reformer alone, or in combination with its gas heated reformer, has been selected for several of the world’s first large scale blue hydrogen projects including bp’s H2Teesside, and the H2H Saltend project with Equinor and Linde for a 600 MW low carbon hydrogen production plant.
Global demand for ammonia is estimated to increase to more than 600 million metric tonnes by 2050 due to the new demands from shipping and power generation markets. Low carbon ammonia is predicted to meet two-thirds of the demand by 2050 with many countries around the world setting decarbonisation targets. This could mean an estimated market size for low carbon ammonia of over $200 billion by 2050.
