Decarbonising ammonia: the SKREI project

Traditional ammonia production relies on fossil fuels, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions. According to IEA, the direct CO2 emissions from ammonia production were 450 Mt in 2020. This corresponds to approximately 1.3% of the CO2 emissions from the global energy system in 2020 (IEA, 2021). The SKREI project at Yara Porsgrunn is a pioneering initiative in industrial decarbonisation, integrating renewable hydrogen produced via water electrolysis into our existing ammonia production plant. When starting the commissioning process, it was Europe’s largest operational green hydrogen plant. SKREI leverages proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser technology to produce hydrogen to partially replace fossil-based feedstock, significantly reducing CO? emissions. The paper summarises the project’s background, technical approach, commissioning experiences and its strategic role in enabling a low-carbon future for ammonia production. It also discusses the competitive landscape for renewabl