First Ammonia and Topsoe launch SOEC modules production for green ammonia plant in Texas

New York-headquartered ammonia plants developer First Ammonia has signed sales and service agreements with Danish technology company Topsoe for the production of the first solid oxide electrolyzers for the green ammonia project in the port of Victoria, Texas.

The agreement, described as a milestone in the green ammonia project development, enables the fabrication of the first 100 MW solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEC) modules to begin at Topsoe’s new factory in Herning, Denmark.

Topsoe’s factory in Herning is to enter operation at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 and will produce 500 MW of solid oxide electrolyzers annually, building on the performance of Topsoe’s solid oxide electrolyzer demonstration core that has been running in its Frederikssund facility since the end of 2023 under industrial conditions.

As reported earlier, each 100 MW module is expected to initially produce up to 100,000 million tons per annum (mtpa) of green ammonia. This is the equivalent of 180,000-240,000 MT of CO2 avoided per annum when compared to grey ammonia.

The project will commence commercial operation in 2027.

First Ammonia has also partnered with German energy major Uniper to deliver green ammonia from its flagship project in the port of Victoria.

“Congratulations to our incredible partner Topsoe on this momentous occasion. Seeing the solid oxide electrolyzer production underway in Herning shows how much progress we have made on this journey together,” said First Ammonia’s CEO Joel Moser.

“I am proud to be working with a company that brings this level of excellence in innovation to pave the way for a truly sustainable future of green hydrogen and green ammonia production that is flexible and efficient. I am confident that Topsoe solid oxide electrolyzers will be part of the larger solution to the world’s decarbonization goals by establishing a hydrogen economy—and the production of green ammonia together will help take us there.”

Topsoe Power-to-X CEO, Kim Hedegaard, added: “This is an important milestone for both Topsoe and First Ammonia. Projects like the Port of Victoria green ammonia facility are vital to decarbonizing energy-intensive industries such as long-distance transportation and maritime shipping. Our SOEC technology continues to perform very well in testing and our factory remains on schedule to be operational by the end of the year. We are thankful for Fist Ammonia’s trust in Topsoe and our technology and are excited by the opportunities that lie ahead.”