'World first' as Adnoc ships 'thousands of tonnes' of blue hydrogen-based ammonia from UAE to Japan

Adnoc, the national oil company of the UAE, has shipped thousands of tonnes of blue ammonia to Mitsui in Japan for power generation. This is the first bulk commercial shipment of blue ammonia certified as low-carbon by TÜV SÜD, a German certification body. Previously, Adnoc had sent test shipments to Japan in 2021, but this recent shipment is the first of its kind on a commercial scale.

Thomas Parsfield, Adnoc's head of business development for blue hydrogen and its derivatives, announced at the World Hydrogen Summit that the ammonia was produced in Abu Dhabi at the Ruwais industrial complex. The facility is owned by Fertiglobe, which Adnoc acquired for $3.6 billion in late 2023. The shipment was delivered safely to Japan a few days ago.

This shipment is also notable because Adnoc stored CO2 captured from the hydrogen and ammonia production in a carbonate saline aquifer for the first time, instead of using it in other processes. However, Adnoc has not revealed if the ammonia was sold at a premium or the exact amount shipped.

The blue ammonia was certified as low-carbon by TÜV SÜD, meeting standards that require 70% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to a specific benchmark. This certification also aligns with Japanese government standards for low-carbon hydrogen and its derivatives.

Ammonia has been transported globally for many years, and Adnoc leveraged existing infrastructure and commercial systems for this shipment. However, obtaining certification and satisfying the requirements of the certifying body and offtakers involved detailed discussions and some unexpected challenges.

Despite being a cheaper alternative to green hydrogen, blue hydrogen and using ammonia for power generation are controversial. Critics argue that blue hydrogen has higher carbon intensity due to methane emissions, and there are concerns about the effectiveness of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Additionally, Japan's approach of co-firing ammonia with coal to reduce emissions is seen as costly with limited climate benefits.