THE Australian Renewable Energy Agency has committed just under A$1 million to Yara Pilbara Fertlisers to support a feasibility study to produce renewable hydrogen and ammonia.

The study, conducted by Yara in collaboration with Engie, will look into creating hydrogen using electrolysis via solar PV at an industrial scale at Yara's existing ammonia facility in the Pilbara.  

The renewable hydrogen produced is expected to displace 30,000 tonners per year of hydrogen currently created from fossil fuels, according to ARENA.  

The blended hydrogen will then be converted to ammonia with a lower carbon footprint and sold for further processing into domestic and international markets.  

The study will also investigate using seawater for electrolysis. 

Yara hopes in the long term it will be able to produce all of its hydrogen and ammonia with renewables and hopes the study will be the first step on achieving commercial-scale production for export.  

"Yara's project will offer great insight into how Australia's current ammonia producers can transition away from the use of fossil fuels towards renewable alternatives for producing hydrogen while continuing to leverage the substantial export capabilities that those companies have already established," ARENA CEO Darren Miller said.  

"ARENA's support will assist in completing the feasibility study so that we can fully understand the opportunity for generating renewable hydrogen for use in our Pilbara facilities," Yara International executive vice president Production Tove Andersaid said.  

ARENA has committed roughly $50 million toward hydrogen initiatives so far, spread between research and development projects and feasibility and pilot projects. 

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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