OpenLobby.EU
Explore

First Ammonia

FA

First Ammonia is developing the first modular, commercial-scale plant to produce green ammonia from intermittent renewable energy and the first to use solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) technology.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and Ørsted A/S and

21 Apr 2023 · Hydrogen bank

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

2 Feb 2023 · Hydrogen bank proposal and the Green Deal Industrial Plan

Meeting with Mohammed Chahim (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Feb 2023 · NZIA

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

1 Feb 2023 · Role of hydrogen in RePowerEU implementation

Response to European Critical Raw Materials Act

18 Nov 2022

First Ammonia believes that a similar principle as the energy efficiency first principle should be applied to critical raw materials: A CRM efficiency first principle. It is at least as important to minimise our consumption needs for CRMs as it is to secure sustainable sourcing of the CRMs we do really need. First Ammonia proposes that this principle is considered for the European Critical Raw Material Act. The first step would be to identify the sectors where CRMs are essential and the ones where substitutes can be used according to their maturity level. In its Material 2030 Roadmap, the Commission clearly acknowledges the need for substitutes as an essential solution, but mainly considers it at the development stage. However, some CRM-free solutions are already commercially available and awaiting scale-up investments, such as Topsoe's solid oxide electrolysers (SOECs) that First Ammonia will be using on an industrial scale for its renewable ammonia production. Why would a CRM efficiency first principle be needed? Take iridium's example. 1-2 grams per kW of iridium are needed for standard PEM electrolysers. Given that the EU's REPowerEU plan has set a target to install up to 65 GW of electrolyser capacity for renewable hydrogen-based technologies by 2030, this would mean 65-130 tons of iridium if the entire 65 GW electrolyser target was met with PEM electrolysers. This all the while the global iridium production today is a mere 7 tons per year. Iridium is therefore one of the rarest, most carbon-intensive and most expensive elements in the world to harvest according to SWP Berlin. Therefore, the development and scaling up of CRM-free substitutes should be widely supported. The Commission should clearly identify these types of projects as strategic. As explained in its CRM Act's call for evidence, the Commission is planning to give, among other things, better access to funding. This access should be clearly prioritised according to the following cascading principle: 1) Projects crucial for the fit-for-55 and REPowerEU goals that do not require CRMs vs conventional solutions 2) Projects to sustainably produce and recycle CRMs within Europe 3) Projects ensuring a secured supply of CRMs from outside the EU The EU should therefore mobilise its existing and new funding instruments to support projects following the order of this cascading principle because the most sustainable critical raw material is the one that does not have to be used. About First Ammonia: First Ammonia is developing the first modular, commercial-scale production plants to produce green ammonia using a first-of-a-kind solid oxide electrolyser cell (SOEC) technology. Depending on EU and national grants to overcome the green premium of renewable ammonia versus fossil-based ammonia, the first two plants totalling several hundreds of MW are scheduled to be built in Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbüttel in Germany, and are expected to be fully operational by 2025. The modular set-up and unique SOEC technology will also help to easily scale up our renewable ammonia and allow it to be produced everywhere without any dependency from non-EU countries. As a first step to build these renewable ammonia plants, Topsoe and First Ammonia signed a 5GW launch company agreement for the reservation of first-of-a-kind, industrial-scale, solid oxide electrolyser cells (SOEC) to produce renewable ammonia, a fuel for transportation, power storage and generation, and fertiliser. This is shaping up to be the largest agreement in the world, to date, for any type of electrolyzer and will displace almost 5 BCM of natural gas and eliminate 13 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Read full response

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Sept 2022 · RePower EU

Meeting with Tatiana Marquez Uriarte (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

5 May 2022 · REPower EU

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and #SustainablePublicAffairs

5 May 2022 · Role of hydrogen in RePowerEU Plan

Meeting with Andreas Glück (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Apr 2022 · Fit for 55