John Cockerill secures a 640MW hydrogen electrolyser contract from an Indian developer for a green ammonia project with a one-million-tonne capacity.

Belgian company John Cockerill has received a confirmed order from Indian developer AM Green for 640MW of its alkaline electrolysers, intended for a green ammonia project with a one-million-tonne annual capacity in eastern India. Located in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, the project will be constructed in two phases of 640MW each, with production expected to begin in the latter half of 2026.

AM Green, which approved the final investment decision (FID) for the project in August, is also collaborating with John Cockerill to establish a 2GW electrolyser production facility in Kakinada, which will supply equipment for the project’s second phase, though this order has yet to be finalized. AM Green has previously indicated that the Kakinada plant’s electrolysers will achieve over 90% utilization, powered by 4.5GW of wind and solar energy along with 950MW of pumped hydro storage, meeting EU standards for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO). This allows the green ammonia produced to be marketed in Europe.

Much of the Kakinada project’s ammonia output has already been reserved for European clients, including Norwegian fertilizer company Yara (500,000 tonnes per year) and German utilities Uniper (250,000 tonnes per year) and RWE (50,000 tonnes per year). AM Green also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with German chemical giant BASF for an additional 100,000 tonnes.

John Cockerill CEO François Michel called the order a significant milestone in the company’s hydrogen business, emphasizing its role in supporting India’s sustainability ambitions through the partnership with AM Green. Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) for the project will be managed by Rely, a joint venture between John Cockerill and Technip Energies.

Anil Chalamalasetty, chairman of AM Green, highlighted the strategic importance of this collaboration with John Cockerill in building India’s green hydrogen infrastructure and establishing the country as a key exporter of low-cost green molecules that comply with EU RFNBO regulations. This collaboration not only supports India’s green hydrogen goals but also contributes to global industrial decarbonization, benefiting sectors such as refining, shipping, fertilizers, power generation, and chemicals.

AM Green, a subsidiary of Indian renewables developer Greeko, was launched last year with up to $2 billion in funding from Malaysia’s Petronas subsidiary Gentari and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. By 2030, AM Green aims to produce five million tonnes of green ammonia using one million tonnes of green hydrogen in India.