Siemens Energy leads consortium developing…

Siemens Energy leads consortium developing game-changing hydrogen prototype

A consortium of companies led by Siemens Energy in Newcastle has started work on a £3.5m prototype designed to produce green hydrogen at an industrial scale.

The ammonia cracker prototype will use ammonia to deliver 200kg of hydrogen a day, which is enough to power up to 10 hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses – a move which could help tackle climate change while reducing carbon emissions.

The partnership marks a collaboration between Siemens Energy, Siemens Energy Ventures, FFI, GeoPura, and Innovate UK, with Siemens Energy and FFI providing engineering expertise and innovative technical solutions. GeoPura will provide onsite management and will be taking the hydrogen product from the prototype ammonia cracker system for use in its innovative fuel cell power generation technology.

The work aims to provide the potential to produce green hydrogen at scale, wherever and whenever it is needed. Steve Scrimshaw, VP at Siemens Energy UK and Ireland and a member of the Government’s Hydrogen Advisory Council, said: “We have just 13 years to deliver a net-zero electricity grid for the UK. Time is running out and we can’t do this alone. This innovative green ammonia cracker could be a game-changer for scaling up the green hydrogen industry – an important step to drive the energy transition.”

Ammonia has a high hydrogen density and is readily transportable in bulk. It can be used for storing large amounts of hydrogen in a liquid form that builds on existing global supply chain infrastructure. A process, called the Haber-Bosch process, is used to produce “green” ammonia from green hydrogen, using renewable power, as it does not result in CO2 emissions during the process.

If successful, the technology could be scaled up for future markets, including industry, heat, and grid-scale power generation.

GeoPura plans to use the hydrogen to supply Hydrogen Power Units (HPUs), which are used as a replacement for heavy polluting diesel generators as an ‘off-grid’ solution to provide zero emission power to a wide range of industries including TV production, such as Netflix and BBC’s Winterwatch and construction projects, including HS2.

Fortescue Future Industries CEO Mark Hutchinson added: “The research and development of technology like this is key to the success of green hydrogen globally. There is an overwhelming demand for supply of green hydrogen, particularly in Europe, and transport is central to ensuring that supply.

"We know that green hydrogen can be transported long distances as green ammonia, and, if successful, ammonia cracking coupled with MMT means that you can convert it as you need to, at the point of use. The work being done as part of this partnership stands to help make green ammonia a globally traded hydrogen carrier and fuel not just for the future but for today.”