Together with its partners Trafigura and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, the Wiesbaden-based company has started the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase of a production plant located in the Norwegian Municipality of Sauda.

With the help of Norconsult, a pre-study was completed in 2021. The project owners have started the FEED stage now, expected to yield a plan for the facility's construction by 2023.

Following a final investment decision, the beginning of works is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, and the facility will be fully operational as of 2027's start.

The facility, named Iverson eFuels, will feature an initial electrolyser capacity of 240 MW to produce 600t of green ammonia as marine fuel per day.

"We will produce green ammonia through electrolysis technology, using clean electricity to provide green ammonia for vessels, and thereby contributing to minimise emissions for maritime transportation," Gunnar A. Gauthun, Hy2gen's Hub Coordinator in Sauda, commented.

Rasmus Bach Nielsen, Trafigura's Global Head of Fuel Decarbonisation, also commented, "Availability of zero emission alternative fuels such as green ammonia is an important pre-requisite to decarbonising the global shipping industry. We also urgently need global policy-makers to cost neutralise the use of zero carbon fuels through carbon pricing measures to drive demand and enable to radically reduce emissions."

"When we started looking for a location for our green ammonia plant in Norway, Sauda emerged as the epitome. The accessibility to abundant green energy from hydropower, a good harbour for exports, an attractive production site, a long regional industry history, and above all, the positive reception of the local authorities and businesses, encouraged us to choose Sauda as the future home of Iverson eFuels AS in Norway," Cyril Dufau-Sansot, CEO, the Hy2gen Group, highlighted.

Asbjørn Birkeland, Mayor of Sauda, added, "In addition to jobs creation, significant investments will flow in over many years, by virtue of Iverson eFuels AS, Sauda would be put on the map of the energy transition. We wish Iverson eFuels AS all the best in the next steps and look forward to the inauguration of the production plant."

The project is supported by Agenda Vestlandet and a fund of the hydropower complex Ulla-Førre.

Photo: Hy2gen