Finnish PtX plant developer Flexens has revealed plans to build a 350MW facility to produce green ammonia from electrolytic hydrogen in western Finland.
The project will be located in the town of Kokkola, which has both a deepwater port and industrial producers in the inorganic chemical sector.
Flexens is to start green ammonia production by 2027, initially targeting 200,000 tonnes a year.
“The port is one of the two that handle ammonia in Finland, and there are also storage facilities for it right next to the port in the Kokkola Industrial Park,” said Jim Häggblom, Senior Project Manager at Flexens.
He added: “Ammonia is needed to make fertilisers, and presently it’s made mainly from natural gas. The availability of domestic green ammonia will strengthen Finland’s – and Europe’s – self-sufficiency in fertilisers.”
For the green hydrogen production Häggblom said there is “plenty of wind power available and a strong power grid”.
Häggblom said the demand for hydrogen will increase in time as Gasgrid Finland, the country’s gas transmission company, is working with its Swedish equivalent on plans to build a cross-border network of pipelines in the Bothnia Bay region by 2030.
“We also have an opportunity to deliver waste heat from hydrogen production to the district heating network and offer steam from ammonia production to factories nearby,” he added.
The development will require an investment of €700m, which will be provided by investors and supplemented by grants.
Flexens’ team, which is experienced in modelling energy systems and developing renewable energy projects, will be supported by Lhyfe, which is the major shareholder of Flexens with a 49% stake.