RWE AG, a German multinational energy company headquartered in Essen, announced its plans to build a terminal for the import of green energy in Brunsbüttel, Germany.
According to the company, RWE is relying on green ammonia as the most competitive hydrogen derivative with the highest level of technological maturity and wants to realize another project in the immediate vicinity: a terminal for the import of green energy. The new project is intended to help facilitate the subsequent conversion of the entire site ready to import green molecules.
Recently, Dutch gas infrastructure company Gasunie and the German state-owned bank KfW signed a memorandum of understanding in order to build the 1st German LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel. This project intends to help facilitate the subsequent conversion of the entire site ready to import green molecules.
What is green ammonia?
Ammonia is one of the most common basic materials in the chemical industry. More than 125 million tonnes are produced worldwide every year and processed into fertiliser in agriculture or used in chemical processes, among other things. It is already shipped globally today.
In order to make ammonia ‘green’, fossil fuels such as natural gas must be replaced by electricity from renewable energy sources during its production. Ammonia has distinct advantages over the use of hydrogen throughout the molecular chain: It is lighter, more efficient and cheaper to store and transport.
It is now more important than ever to think of climate protection and security of supply as one. That’s what we are doing. On the one hand, we are involved in the forthcoming construction of the first LNG terminal in Germany. On the other hand, we are going to build an ammonia terminal at the site to forge ahead with the import of green molecules for the decarbonisation of industry. This flagship project will cover the entire value chain – from import, to conversion, transport and use by industrial customers. The entire site will benefit from this
…Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE AG, explains.
From as early as 2026, around 300,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year are due to arrive in Germany via the terminal and be distributed to customers. The next step is to build a cracker on a large industrial scale at the terminal to produce green hydrogen on site as well. This will then be transported to industrial customers via a dedicated hydrogen pipeline.
The company informs that with this expansion stage, an increase in the volume of ammonia to two million tonnes per year is also planned. The terminal is thus at the beginning of a green import infrastructure that will lead to climate-friendly production processes.
Due to its direct access to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and its connection to European inland waterways, the Brunsbüttel site offers ideal logistical conditions for the project. Brunsbüttel Ports GmbH is supporting the project with space and as a logistics partner with port infrastructure to unload tankers.
As mentioned by the company, RWE expects investments in the mid three-digit million euro range. To allow for rapid implementation, pragmatic action, swift planning and approval processes, short construction timelines along with high safety standards are required. The green ammonia terminal and the transport infrastructure thus create an excellent basis for preparing the site today for the time when energy imports will only be green.
