The hydrogen economy received another boost from plant engineering firm Thyssenkrupp Uhde and Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company after they signed an agreement on Jan. 16 to develop large-scale ammonia cracking plants.
Under the agreement, Thyssenkrupp and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, will use Thyssenkrupp’s Uhde reformer ammonia cracking technology. The agreement will also lead to the exploration of opportunities in the clean energy value chain for the supply and shipment of clean ammonia from the UAE to large-scale ammonia cracking facilities globally. The companies will also explore opportunities to supply and ship clean ammonia from the UAE to large-scale ammonia cracking facilities globally.
Ammonia is considered the ideal carrier of hydrogen because it’s easy to compress and transport, according to Thyssenkrupp. When shipped, after arriving at its destination, the ammonia needs to be decomposed, or “cracked,” into hydrogen, before use in the energy value chain.
In the chemical processing and oil refining industry, hydrogen is primary used as a chemical reagent, but it’s showing potential for use in transportation, power generation and grid-scale energy storage.
“Countries in Europe, along with many others, depend on green hydrogen imports to decarbonize industry and society,” said Cord Landsmann, CEO Thyssenkrupp Uhde. “Clean ammonia is the best way to transport hydrogen by ship, and together with ADNOC, we will deliver the last piece of the puzzle for global green hydrogen trade at large scale.”
