The foundations have been laid for the ‘first-of-its-kind’ green ammonia to hydrogen demonstrator, which once commissioned will deliver 200kg per day of transport-grade hydrogen to the hydrogen refuelling station at TEP.

The £6.7m ($8.3m) project is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and is expected to be the world’s ‘largest and most efficient’ ammonia to hydrogen conversion unit.

The facility will utilise H2Site’s technology that derives hydrogen from ammonia through a cracking process, which uses high temperature furnace to separate ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, before the hydrogen is filtered and purified for use as a fuel.

Ammogen consortium’s project partners include Gemserv, Equans, H2Site, TEP, Yara and the University of Birmingham. The partners estimate that £16bn GVA could be delivered in the UK through early investment in cracking technologies that enable the use of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier.

Alex Goody, Chief Executive of the consortium’s lead Gemserv, said, “Ammonia could be the carrier to unlock green hydrogen and production globally. Gemserv is pleased to be working with our market leading consortium partners and Government in this project and hope to add to both the local community in Birmingham and our nations drive to Net Zero.”

James Graham, Divisional CEO for Equans UK & Ireland, added, “This innovative project is laying the foundations for the wider hydrogen economy and the path towards a green industrial revolution.”