Adnoc has signed a preliminary agreement with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and chemical industry service provider Currenta to explore opportunities to create a low-carbon ammonia value chain. In a statement, Adnoc said the main focus of the agreement will be the production and transport of low-carbon ammonia and its application as a fuel for energy production, including industrial-scale testing at Currenta's plant in Dormagen, Germany. Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that can be used as a low-carbon fuel for applications across industries, including transport, power generation, and steel, cement, and fertilizer production. Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Adnoc Low Carbon Solutions and International Growth Council, said, "Our fast-growing ammonia business benefits from the UAE's abundant and competitive energy resources.

Adnoc works to meet the growing global demand for low carbon intensity energy. State-owned oil companies have invested in low-carbon ammonia, and the carbon dioxide emitted during production is captured and stored underground. In May 2021, Adnoc also announced the construction of a 1 million tonne/year low-carbon ammonia production facility at the Ta'ziz Industrial Center in Ruwais. In January 2023, Adnoc also signed a preliminary agreement with Germany's ThyssenKrupp's engineering department to open up new markets for hydrogen and explore the development of large-scale ammonia cracking projects.

The company has also expanded its energy partnerships across the hydrogen value chain. Adnoc shipped its first low-carbon ammonia cargo to Germany in September 2022 and is also sending demonstration cargoes to Asian customers.

We will do our best to expand the production capacity of renewable energy, as well as expand the country's ability to produce other climate-neutral energy carriers such as green hydrogen as much as possible.

Yet it is also clear that we will have to import large quantities of all types of green energy to meet our needs and meet our climate protection goals. We are now building partnerships and an extensive import infrastructure to supply our industry. The basis of our cooperation is diversity with many countries. According to Currenta CEO Frank Hyldmer, ammonia has the potential to play an important role in the decarbonization process, for example, as a hydrogen carrier or as a heat fuel. As a chemical park operator with large steam and thermal power plants, Currenta is watching very closely to see if it succeeds in realizing this potential. An important factor here is the development of the global ammonia supply chain.Editor/XingWentao