Weekly News Round Up 12/04

WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP

Welcome to our Weekly News Round Up of interesting articles in the sustainability space! 

Here are our top 5 news pieces for this week with key takeaways:

1. OCP and Fortescue to partner in green energy, hydrogen and ammonia in Morocco

OCP and Fortescue to partner in green energy, hydrogen and ammonia in Morocco | World Fertilizer

⭐ Key takeaways:

• OCP Group and Fortescue Energy has announced a landmark joint venture (JV) in Morocco. This equal #partnership aims to supply green hydrogen, ammonia, and #fertilizers to Morocco, Europe, and international markets 🌍
• The proposal includes large-scale integrated #greenammonia and green fertilizer production capacity, including #renewables, energy generation, electrolysis, ammonification and fertilizer production, manufacturing of green technology and equipment, an R&D and Technology Hub and collaboration of corporate venture capital funds to drive #investment in key technology advancements 🟢
• The partners’ objective is to supply green hydrogen and ammonia for use both as sources of green #energy and in the manufacture of carbon-neutral and customised fertilizers that are accessible and affordable for #farmers around the world 🌱

2. US refiners and chemical manufacturers lead hydrogen production and consumption

US refiners and chemical manufacturers lead hydrogen production and consumption - Hydrogen Central (hydrogen-central.com)

 ⭐ Key takeaways:

• U.S. manufacturers specializing in #chemicals and petroleum refining have traditionally accounted for the largest shares of both #hydrogen consumption and production 📈
• Within these two industrial subsectors, petroleum refiners used 68% of all U.S. hydrogen production, and #nitrogenousfertilizer (ammonia and derivatives) industries used 21%. The large-scale use of hydrogen helps individual manufacturers negotiate low prices in their contracts to secure their hydrogen #feedstock requirements. Large industrial hydrogen consumers also frequently have the capacity to either generate their own hydrogen or use hydrogen produced as a byproduct of chemical processes at nearby facilities 🌱
• Based on data from MECS and our Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA), total U.S. production of hydrogen in 2018 was 10 million metric tons, of which 40% was merchant hydrogen sold by industrial gas companies. A small but growing amount of hydrogen was produced from #electrolysis of water—this demonstrates the market potential for green hydrogen use in fertilizer 🟢

3. Whisky produced from 100% hydrogen-fuelled process at Japanese distillery

Whisky produced from 100% hydrogen-fuelled process at Japanese distillery | Power | H2 View (h2-view.com)

⭐ Key takeaways:

• Whisky has been produced from a pilot #distillery in Japan using 100% #hydrogen as a fuel source for direct-fired distillation 🥃
• Coming as part of the UK Government-funded WhiskHy project, Beam Suntory – the producer of Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Suntory Whisky – and Supercritical Solutions trialled the hydrogen-powered operations at the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka, to showcase the potential of #NetZero distilling 🏭
• Regarded as a traditional distilling method, direct firing uses a flame rather than indirect heating by steam coils, typically using natural gas. However, the “world-first” trial used 100% #hydrogen to heat the still 🔥
• Alistair Longwell , Head of Distilling and Environment at Beam Suntory, explained, “We have an ambition to achieve Net Zero #emissions across our entire value chain by 2040, and it is through unique collaborative projects such as WhiskHy that we will get there.” 🌡
• Backed by £2.9m funding from the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Green Distilleries competition, Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said he was “thrilled” that the companies had achieved the new milestone 💷
• The companies have plans to introduce 100% #greenhydrogen at the Glen Garioch Distillery 🟢

4. Germany’s €2.2bn push for hydrogen and electrification in industry approved by EU

Germany’s €2.2bn push for hydrogen and electrification in industry approved by EU | Policy | H2 View (h2-view.com)

⭐ Key takeaways:

• Germany’s €2.2bn ($2.4bn) plans to #decarbonise industry with green hydrogen and electrification have been approved by the European Commission 💶
• Approved under the EU’s state aid rules, the €2.2bn support package will be offered as direct #grants to companies looking to #electrify industrial processes or offset fossil fuel use with renewable hydrogen or its derivatives ⚡
• Margrethe Vestager , Executive Vice-President, said the scheme will support industries investing in #decarbonising, but noted it would “help Germany to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels faster.” 📉
• The measure follows the European Council’s adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) in 2023, setting mandatory targets to see renewable hydrogen make up 42% of hydrogen used in industrial processes by 2030 before increasing to 60% by 2035 🟢

5. Hydrogen, steel and iron: Australia’s $39m boost for clean exports

Hydrogen, steel and iron: Australia’s $39m boost for clean exports | Policy | H2 View (h2-view.com)

⭐ Key takeaways:

• Under an AUD $59.1m ($39m) funding package, Australia is supporting 21 renewable hydrogen R&D and #lowemissions iron and steel projects as it looks to secure its export potential ⛓
• AUD $34.2m ($22.6m) of hydrogen #funding has been awarded to various organisations exploring green hydrogen production, storage and #ammonia synthesis. The AUD $24.6m ($19.3m) awarded to #iron and #steel research is also supporting some projects exploring hydrogen’s use 🟢
• The hydrogen funding is hoped to accelerate the #commercialisation of renewable hydrogen, which the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) said is expected to play a “large role” in cutting emissions from hard-to-abate sectors like iron and steel production 🏭
• In February (2024), the South Australian Government signed an agreement with GFG Alliance to explore offtaking green hydrogen from a 250MW #electrolyser project to support #decarbonising iron and steel production ⚡

ATOME in the press 📰

You can view ATOME announcements on our website here 💻 : Regulatory News & Alerts - ATOME - The Commodities Of The Future, Today (atomeplc.com)

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