State Power Investment Corp. (SPIC), one of China’s largest electric utilities, is building a 6.33 billion-yuan ($880 million) green ammonia project in Jilin province. With an annual capacity of 180,000 mt, this would be the world’s largest green ammonia plant if commissioned by 2024 as planned, according to BloombergNEF.
The project scope includes renewable power generation, electrolysis to produce green hydrogen (H2), H2 storage, nitrogen production, and NH3 synthesis. The project’s power solution involves oversized renewable electricity plants and batteries, minimizing the need for grid power by the electrolysis facility that is designed to run at an 88% annual utilization rate.
Part of the wind power plant is connected to the grid, which would take otherwise curtailed electricity. Of the total 230 megawatts (MW) of electrolyzers, 50MW would be the costlier proton exchange membrane type, which SPIC will make.