Work

Is green ammonia in the south of Spain cost-competitive by 2030?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Synthetic fuels have been gaining industrial relevance as a means to decarbonize hard to abate sectors like heavy transportation. Green ammonia (NH 3 ) is envisaged as a key energy vector to accomplish this due to its carbon free combustion and ease of transportation and storage. This study assesses the technoeconomic potential of deploying a 2000 metric tons per day green NH 3 plant in Cádiz, Spain, evaluating a wide portfolio of conversion and intermediate storage technologies to produce the chemical commodity using capital cost and performance data projected to the year 2030, as well as location-specific renewable availability profiles. The key technical outcome of this study is that a partial supply of H 2 from biogas steam methane reforming (SMR) can preclude deployment of hazardous on-site H 2 storage to compensate for wind/solar variability. The LCOA of 590.3 €/t attained for the green NH 3 plant represents a cost premium of 41.6 % relative to a blue NH 3 plant at a CO 2 tax of 100 €/t. Cumulative addition of H 2 storage and grid connectivity next to SMR can reduce costs to 550.4 and 510.6 €/t, respectively, albeit with added risks related to H 2 safety and electricity market exposure. Although simplifying optimization model assumptions, such as optimized investment and dispatch based on one representative year with perfect foresight regarding wind/solar availability, render these numbers optimistic, results suggest that medium-term subsidized deployment of green NH 3 to diversify the local fertilizer market may be feasible. However, the cost premium of green NH 3 is approximately 160 % relative to liquefied natural gas (LNG), illustrating that alternative decarbonization avenues should be pursued for energy applications.

Source: Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.168218

Authors: Carlos Arnaiz del Pozo, Schalk Cloete, Lucía Carretero Alonso, Ángel Jiménez Álvaro

Institutions: SINTEF Industry, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Language: English

Topic: Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Subfield: Energy Engineering and Power Technology

Field: Energy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,830