Community benefits
HØST PtX Esbjerg not only marks a 1 billion EUR investment in PtX. As all CIP-managed projects, it strives to create a significant, positive impact on both job creation and climate in accordance with CIP’s ethical policy and the UN Guiding Principles. It is estimated that the plant will generate 100-150 permanent jobs in support of the local community and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 9 and 12.
A new industry
HØST PtX Esbjerg will support the ongoing transformation from fossil energy to renewable energy and provide valuable learnings to be carried further in other large-scale PtX projects. The project therefore has the potential to act as one of the catalysts for a new PtX industry in Esbjerg based on the massive knowledge and experience already at hand in the local energy industry. In this wider perspective, HØST PtX Esbjerg offers a unique opportunity to strengthen Denmark’s role within renewable energy and ensure job creation in next generation renewable technologies. More specifically, this knowledge-build will also prepare the local and national energy industry for the Energy island project, which is envisaged to house several, larger PtX plants.
Emission-free district heating
HØST PtX Esbjerg will also become a significant contributor to the district heating system. In fact, the plant also fits nicely into the sustainability strategy of the local utility company, DIN Forsyning, who aim to diversify their portfolio of energy sources to allow for greater flexibility and the ability to add future technologies into the supply chain. DIN Forsyning has therefore committed to use the excess heat from the CO2-free ammonia production, which is a good example of sector-linkage as recommended in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 7, 13 and 17.
Value to the local community:
- 100-150 permanent jobs
- Driver for a new, green Power-to-X industry for the production and export of green chemicals and green fuels
- Existing competencies within the energy industry are utilized to create growth
- Emission-free district heating of app. 15,000 households in Esbjerg, Varde and Fanø
- CO2 reduction of up to 40,000 t from emission-free district heating
- Port of Esbjerg as possible, future bunkering hub for the ammonia-powered vessels of the future
CO2 reductions // use-case of green ammonia for fertilizer
With an estimated CO2 reduction of app. 1.5 million tonnes annually compared to conventional ammonia production, HØST PtX Esbjerg will make a significant contribution to carbon neutrality. In addition, the use of the plant’s excess heat will contribute to a CO2 reduction of an additional ~40,000 tonnes of emission-free district heating.
Moreover, HØST PtX Esbjerg will make a 1GW contribution to EU’s target of 40GW of electricity coming from renewable hydrogen electrolysers by 2030. The EU strategy expresses the ambition that by 2025 to 2030, hydrogen needs to become an intrinsic part of the EU's integrated energy system targeting the production of up to 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen.
- CO2 reductions of up to 1,5m t from ammonia production
- CO2 reduction of up to 40,000 t from emission-free district heating
- 1GW renewable hydrogen production
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, several 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.
