Global hydrogen market: Uniper and thyssenkrupp Uhde conclude framework agreement on the use of ammonia splitting technology
License packages for up to six commercial plants with a total capacity of 7,200 mtpd of ammonia
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Uniper and thyssenkrupp Uhde have signed a framework agreement that lays the foundation for the construction of commercial ammonia cracking plants. Uniper has secured license packages for the use of thyssenkrupp Uhde's ammonia cracking technology. The agreement covers up to six large-scale plants with a total capacity of 7,200 metric tons per day (mtpd) of ammonia. The use of hydrogen from ammonia on an industrial scale will make a significant contribution to the decarbonization of national and European industry. The direct transportation of hydrogen is technically and economically very complex. Ammonia, on the other hand, is a suitable transport and storage medium as it is comparatively easy to liquefy and ship in large quantities. Without an efficient cracker technology, a large-volume import of hydrogen is not feasible. This project is therefore an important step towards building a resilient energy infrastructure in Europe.
The agreement lays the foundations for using the technology at Uniper's planned hydrogen import terminal in Wilhelmshaven. The license package includes engineering and services as well as the supply of main equipment and catalysts. Uniper is currently pushing ahead with a pre-FEED (Front-End Engineering and Design) for a commercial plant at the Wilhelmshaven site. In this pre-FEED phase, the design basis for a project is created, the project scope is defined more precisely, the technical and economic feasibility is further reviewed and uncertainties and risks are reduced. The aim is to create a solid foundation for the subsequent FEED phase. The FEED phase is scheduled to start at the end of next year.
Holger Kreetz, COO of Uniper: "Domestic production alone will not be enough to cover future hydrogen requirements - we will have to rely on imports of hydrogen derivatives. With the agreement with thyssenkrupp Uhde, we are taking the next step towards enabling global hydrogen trading. Ammonia crackers are a key to international hydrogen logistics. Together with thyssenkrupp Uhde, we are laying the essential foundations for the infrastructure Europe needs for its energy future - including our planned hydrogen import terminal in Wilhelmshaven."
Nadja Håkansson, Member of the Executive Board / COO of thyssenkrupp Decarbon Technologies & CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde: "Our partnership with Uniper shows how cross-industry collaboration creates real added value. With our world-leading ammonia technology and our experience in implementing complex plant projects, we are making a significant contribution to decarbonization and the development of a global hydrogen market."
In spring 2025, Uniper and thyssenkrupp Uhde announced the construction of one of the world's first demonstration plants for ammonia splitting at the Uniper power plant site in Gelsenkirchen-Scholven. The plant, with a capacity of 28 tons of ammonia per day, will serve as a technological springboard for the commercial scale-up that has now been agreed. The framework agreement that has now been signed, together with the licenses for large-scale commercial plants, is a logical next step on the way to industrial maturity of this key technology for global hydrogen trading. The demonstration plant is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and makes an important contribution to energy security and the sustainable transformation of energy-intensive industries.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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