IHI is advancing the development of technology to produce CO₂-free ammonia using green hydrogen derived from renewable energy. Recently, the company successfully completed small-scale trials at the Soma IHI Green Energy Center (SIGC) in Soma City, Fukushima, achieving target efficiency in green ammonia production. This technology is garnering attention as a groundbreaking Power-to-X solution aimed at realizing a carbon-neutral society.
Ammonia for a Decarbonized Society: The Evolution and Potential of Power-to-X Technology
Currently, ammonia production relies on hydrogen derived from natural gas and nitrogen from the air, generating significant CO₂ emissions. IHI’s green ammonia production, utilizing Power-to-X technology, aims to bring CO₂ emissions down to zero. This technology harnesses renewable electricity to produce hydrogen, which is then combined with nitrogen to create CO₂-free ammonia.
IHI has already conducted multiple demonstration projects at the “Soma Lab” within SIGC, where renewable energy is converted into heat or hydrogen. In collaboration with the Soma City sewage treatment plant, the company has developed initiatives to dry and reduce sludge volume for fertilizer using renewable heat, and to supply synthetic methane produced from hydrogen and CO₂ as fuel for local community buses.
In this latest demonstration, a green ammonia production test unit was installed in Soma Lab, where IHI validated the entire process from hydrogen production to ammonia synthesis. The trials confirmed that hydrogen could be efficiently generated from renewable sources with fluctuating loads, enabling ammonia production at the targeted efficiency.
Going forward, IHI plans to optimize operating conditions at production plants, gather data on reactor performance, and work toward scaling and commercializing Power-to-X technology. With increasing focus on green hydrogen, the early practical application of this technology is expected to establish green ammonia as a key pillar in achieving a carbon-neutral society.
(*1) About the Soma IHI Green Energy Center
Location: 2-1-1 Koyo, Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture
Area: 54,000 m²
Established in April 2018, SIGC promotes a sustainable, locally-oriented smart community project that supports the creation of a CO₂-free, hydrogen-based circular society. Since 2020, the center’s “Soma Lab” has served as an advanced technology hub for hydrogen utilization, conducting research and demonstration tests on hydrogen energy carrier conversion and utilization, aimed at the future hydrogen society.
SIGC Opening：https://www.ihi.co.jp/all_news/2018/other/1190445_1626.html
Soma Lab Opening：https://www.ihi.co.jp/all_news/2020/other/1196903_1611.html
(*2) Decarbonization of Fuels
Ammonia as a Fuel | Climate Change Response | Environment | Sustainability | IHI Corporation
https://www.ihi.co.jp/sustainable/environmental/climatechange/ammonia_energy/
(*3) Synthetic Methane as Fuel for Local Community Buses
Japan’s First e-Methane Supply for Methane-Fueled Buses Utilizing Renewable Energy | FY2022 | News | IHI Corporation
https://www.ihi.co.jp/all_news/2022/other/1198153_3483.html
(*4) Green Ammonia Production Test Unit Specifications
Feed Gases: Hydrogen, Nitrogen; Pressure: 20 MPa; Catalyst: Iron-based; Ammonia Output: 1 kg/day