SwitcH2: Preparatory Environmental Study into Green Ammonia  

Green hydrogen and ammonia will help industry transition to cleaner production and reduce fossil fuel dependence more quickly. The availability of large quantities of green hydrogen and/or green ammonia, arriving through the Port of Rotterdam in particular, can accelerate Dutch industry’s energy transition. New solutions  will be required to increase the provision (importation) of green energy carriers such as hydrogen and ammonia for the above. SwitcH2 wishes to develop this market by supplying industrial quantities of green ammonia produced offshore straight to users.

SwitcH2: Objectives and Actions

SwitcH2’s objective is to carry out a preparatory (environmental)study into a demo project that is developing the first FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit) – a floating platform for the production, storage and transhipment of ammonia. The study aims to create a technologically validated, economically feasible and organisationally sustainable design for this FPSO. The latter is intended to produce green ammonia from sustainable energy (wind, sun or waves) generated either on land or offshore.

The project studies the demonstration of large-scale conversion and energy storage in green ammonia as well as the accompanying (import) transport chain for supplying Dutch industry using shuttle tankers. SwitcH2 is conducting the study at a location in Portugal where all the relevant environmental aspects can be definitively verified.

The following activities are being conducted as part of the project:

• Technical aspects
• The development of a FEED design for the FPSO
• The development of a process design for green ammonia production, including FMEA analysis
• Making critical process elements suitable for maritime use
• Validation using laboratory, modelling and catchment area tests
• Preparatory environmental studies at the mooring locations
• Completing the FEED design, including energy flows and the production plan.

Commercial and Financial Aspects

• Study the opportunities for electricity supply agreements that guarantee the required renewable power supply (high reliability and commercially feasible)
• Analyse and validate the financial and commercial viability: the Levelized Costs of Ammonia (LCoA)
• Prepare supply agreements with Dutch green ammonia buyers primarily through the Port of Rotterdam
• Develop a financial model and an SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) with the aim of preparing the FPSO’s funding strategy.

Organisational Aspects

• A study into the transportation of ammonia using shuttle tankers; cataloguing solutions, determining the optimum frequency and the costs for Rotterdam
• Carry out environmental studies and gain insight into the permits required for the location
• Analyse the certification options.

The SwitcH2 consortium

The SwitcH2 consortium consists of: SwitcH2 B.V. and its shareholders BW Offshore Management (BWO), Dutch Oceans Capital (DOC) and JORD Engineering.

If you have any questions concerning this project please contact:
Bob Rietveldt, Technical Director SwitcH2 BV
Tel. No.: +31 (0)6 53 67 48 24