Floating Green Ammonia Production Facility Launched in Portugal

Ocean energy startups SwitcH2 and CorPower Ocean are collaborating on a groundbreaking project to develop an industrial-scale floating green ammonia production facility. This facility will utilize wave energy to generate clean power, with support from Norway-based BW Offshore and Dutch Oceans Capital. The project will involve the construction of a large vessel comparable in size to a VLCC or an FPSO, housing a 300MW electrolysis plant. It is projected to produce around 300,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually, with full output expected by 2029. The green ammonia will be stored on board and transported to shore via a shuttle tanker.

Funded by the Dutch Government’s GroenvermogenNL TSE scheme, the project will be located in northern Portugal and will leverage CorPower Ocean’s wave energy technology. The collaboration aims to showcase the potential of wave energy in providing continuous industrial-scale power. CorPower Ocean’s wave energy system has already demonstrated its resilience, surviving four major Atlantic storms in 2023, including Storm Domingos off Portugal. Green ammonia is identified as a crucial future fuel for shipping, especially in the early stages of the green transition when hydrogen-based green fuels may be limited.

SwitcH2, supported by FPSO market leader BW Offshore, is not only focusing on the Portugal project but also exploring opportunities in West Africa and the Dutch sector of the North Sea. This partnership follows CorPower Ocean’s successful Series B1 funding round, securing $34 million for further advancements in wave energy technology. The collaboration between these innovative startups signifies a significant step towards harnessing untapped energy resources and producing sustainable fuels without straining existing clean electricity supplies on land.

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