Green hydrogen and ammonia projects on the horizon for Kerala
One of the companies has ambitious plans to export one lakh tonnes of green ammonia to Germany from the Vizhinjam Adani port.
by Staff Writer
July 31, 2023
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The government of Kerala has been presented with exciting proposals from two major companies aiming to establish green hydrogen and green ammonia production plants for both domestic use and export purposes.
One of the companies has ambitious plans to export one lakh tonnes of green ammonia to Germany from the Vizhinjam Adani port. To achieve this, the company intends to create an integrated renewable energy project capable of meeting round-the-clock (RTC) energy requirements for the green ammonia plant. This pioneering project will combine a solar installation with a pumped hydro storage facility within the state, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in Kerala. Additionally, the pumped-storage power plant will also offer valuable support to the stae power utilities during peak hour demands. The Kerala State Electricity Board is set to invest in the RTC renewable energy pumped-storage power plant, aligning with the state policy.
With an impressive output of 2,00,000 tonnes per annum, the green ammonia production facility will rely on 1,200-MW solar capacity integrated with a closed-loop pumped hydro storage plant of 1,500 MW/12,000 MWh capacity to meet its power needs. The proposed investment for this visionary project is estimated at Rs 22,061 crore, and preliminary identification and analysis of the project sites have already been conducted.
In addition, the second company has expressed interest in setting up a 252-MW electrolyser plant alongside a green hydrogen and ammonia generation facility. The company plans to execute the project in phases with a capex investment of Rs 8,763 crore. The green hydrogen and ammonia produced will be made available for local consumers, government use, refineries, and fertilizers, and can als be exported.
The first phase of this venture involves the establishment of a 2-MW electrolyser and a five-tonnes-per-day ammonia production plant at a fixed capex cost of Rs 800 million, with a total estimated expense of Rs 1,150 million. After the completion of this phase, the production capacity will reach 36 kg per hour of green hydrogen and 288 kg per hour of ammonia.