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About the plant

Green ammonia made in Denmark

HØST PtX Esbjerg is a hydrogen and ammonia plant under development, deploying industrial use of electrolysis-technology on GW-level. Power-to-X (PtX) is a next generation renewable energy and storage technology which represents a significant new chapter in large-scale decarbonization of e.g., infrastructure and agriculture. The plant will rely on electricity from renewables as its sole source of energy. The outcome of this CO2-free production process is green hydrogen, which can either be sold directly or converted to green ammonia. Most of the world’s production of ammonia today is used for fertilizers from which more than half of the world’s population is dependent from a nutritional perspective.

100.000 tonnes of hydrogen – 600,000 tonnes of ammonia

HØST PtX Esbjerg will use renewable resources to produce approx. 100.000 tonnes of green hydrogen that can be supplied to the future hydrogen grid. If converted, this amount of hydrogen equals 600,000 tonnes of green ammonia that can be used as feedstock for fertilizer production and as green fuel in the maritime industry. The plant will operate flexibly adapting to the available power production from renewables, which is converted into hydrogen and/or stored as ammonia.

Flexible operation

The flexible operation of HØST PtX Esbjerg will ensure efficient use of the electricity being fed into the Danish energy system from the planned 10GW offshore wind build-out in the North Sea. Furthermore, the process heat from the production of hydrogen and ammonia will be utilized for district heating of 15,000 households in the Esbjerg/Varde area by the local utility company, DIN Forsyning.

One of Europe's largest green PtX plants

With a capital investment of more than 2 billion EUR, HØST PtX Esbjerg will be one of the leading PtX plants in Denmark. The project will also be among the first gigawatt-scale PtX facilities in Europe, contributing to the much-needed acceleration of the decarbonization journey towards carbon neutrality in 2050. The development of the project is expected to be made in 2-3 years, followed by a final investment decision in 2025. Construction of the project is expected to be finalized in 2028/29.

  • Capital investment of EUR ~2 bn
  • Site location in Måde industrial area close to the port of Esbjerg
  • Footprint of app. 30 ha
  • Final investment decision due in 2025
  • Expected to enter full operation in 2028/29
  • 100-150 permanent jobs

Mature technology with zero CO2 footprint

The hydrogen and ammonia plant is relying on proven electrolysis technology, which is considered fully mature and ready for commercial scale deployment. HØST PtX Esbjerg will furthermore deploy the conventional Haber-Bosch process. Haber-Bosch is the main industrial procedure to produce ammonia today, in which nitrogen reacts with hydrogen under high temperature and pressure using a catalyst to produce ammonia.

  • 1GW electrolyzer
  • Expected annual electricity consumption of 6000 GWh 
  • Expected annual production of 100,000 t green hydrogen or
  • Expected annual production of 600,000 t green ammonia which can potentially yield, app.:
    • 1,5m t of fertilizer - or
    • 5-600,000 t of bunkering fuel
  • Emission-free district heating​ of app. 15,000 households

Safety

The health and safety of our employees and the community is our top priority. Also, the environmental impact of the plant and the balance between green energy production and the focus on local nature is of high priority. We have committed ourselves to designing, building, and operating a world-class facility using best-available technologies, materials and practices to meet or exceed all global industry standards for safe production, handling and storage of hydrogen and ammonia.

With a worldwide, annual production of app. 180 million tonnes, ammonia is in the global top-5 of produced chemicals. As such there is extensive experience in handling ammonia, and HØST PtX Esbjerg will be able to rely on well-known safety approaches and proven, risk-reducing mitigations that have also previously been applied to ammonia plants in Denmark. 

Hydrogen is today commonly used in both the chemical industry, ammonia production and refineries. Often produced (based on natural gas) and consumed locally, since hydrogen is very ineffective to transport longer distances without pipeline infrastructure. Production of hydrogen based on renewables can rely on an existing industry with large existing experience and competencies. Like with ammonia, Høst PtX Esbjerg can leverage these approaches to ensure safe, low-risk production.

Strict regulatory compliance

During project planning and design, we are conducting comprehensive quantitative risk analyses and assessments to identify and mitigate risks. We are in close dialogue with local authorities and abide strictly by the notoriously rigorous, Danish regulatory requirements for safety and protection of people and the environment. Our process safety policies and procedures will be based on the best current industry practice and standards.

CO2 reductions in hard-to-electrify sectors

By producing green hydrogen and ammonia, HØST PtX Esbjerg will open the door to decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping, agriculture, and industrial applications.

Because HØST PtX Esbjerg has great potential to decarbonize industry, agriculture, aviation and shipping, a number of markets are relevant to the project. Markets that today all rely on the consumption of natural gas or oil. With EU’s Fit for 55 package and the Renewable Energy Directive, these fossil-based sectors must start using feed stock based on green hydrogen from 2030 onwards, if they want to become compliant and avoid penalties.

Security of supply

The utilization of the North Sea's energy potential, and associated expansion of the offshore wind capacity, depends on the development of Danish hydrogen production and infrastructure. If Denmark can combine climate, energy, and industrial policy, as highlighted in the European Green Deal, we will face a new green industry adventure, both accommodating for a new national hydrogen industry and massive export volumes to Germany giving significant CO2 emission reductions and strengthening our own self-sufficiency when it comes to food and energy security.

Consumed in Denmark – emitted somewhere else…

Denmark relies on import of ammonia-based fertilizer, ammonia produced based on natural gas, hence emitting approx.: 2,5 tonnes of CO2 per ton ammonia produced. Producing green ammonia in Denmark, HØST PtX Esbjerg could not only contributes to global CO2 reductions, it also ensures local security of supply and in principle eliminates the current need to import ammonia based fertilizer for 2 billion DKK per year. Actually, Denmark could become a net exporter of green fertilizer.

Patria Seaways - European shipping and logistics company DFDS plans to use green ammonia for fuel