More than 50 organisations are working together on sustainable nitrogen chemistry with hydrogen

In collaboration with NWO, GroenvermogenNL has opened the call for proposals, focused on hydrogen and green electrons for nitrogen-based chemistry (work package 5 of our R&D program). The aim is to promote sustainable and efficient methods for producing nitrogen-containing compounds. Because the environmental impact and energy consumption of ammonia production in particular must be reduced. Currently, hydrogen production for making ammonia consumes 1.5% of the world’s total energy and contributes up to 7% to Dutch CO2 emissions.

Consortium of more than 50 companies and institutions

In the first half of this year, more than 50 knowledge institutions, industrial and technological companies applied for the call for proposals. They form a single consortium that covers the entire value chain of nitrogen-based chemistry. They bring together their issues, needs and expertise to develop, demonstrate and scale up cost-effective technologies for the use of renewable hydrogen and green electrons. The dot on the horizon is not only less energy consumption and a minimal CO2 footprint, but also ways in which industry directly converts nitrogen and pollutants from the environment into usable chemicals. Such applied innovations allow the Netherlands to position itself as a world leader in sustainable nitrogen chemistry.

Two intensive workshops

In October, the consortium met for the first of two intensive workshops of 2.5 days each. “A major challenge is how we can make the current, highly efficient industries more sustainable in the most effective way,” says Harry Bitter, technical project leader of the consortium and professor at Wageningen University. “We are exploring how we can make established routes more sustainable and develop new routes. Which route or routes will win? That remains to be seen. What I personally like to work on is how we diversify catalysts so that companies become less dependent on one source of catalysts.”

Joint project proposal

A second workshop of 2.5 days will follow at the end of October. The consortium will then meet again to further work towards a strategy, division of tasks and further implementation of one integrated project plan that must be submitted in January. GroenvermogenNL is making a subsidy budget of € 20 million available for the project. If approved, the project will start at the end of this year.

Learn more

Do you want to stay informed about the call? Subscribe to the newsletter of GroenvermogenNL. Or ask a question to: Jane Butler