UK Green Ammonia Project
An Essential Industrial Chemical for a Lower-Carbon Britain
Ammonia is one of the world's most important industrial chemicals, supporting agriculture, manufacturing and a wide range of essential industrial processes. As Britain works to strengthen its energy security and reduce industrial emissions, the development of domestic green ammonia production presents a significant opportunity.
UK Green Ammonia (UKGA) is working to establish a network of British production facilities, bringing together renewable hydrogen, established ammonia synthesis technology and industrial demand.
Our ambition is to support a more resilient, sustainable and competitive industrial economy through the development of strategically located production infrastructure.
What is UK Green Ammonia?
Green ammonia is ammonia produced using hydrogen derived from renewable electricity, rather than conventional fossil fuel-based processes.
Ammonia (NH₃) consists of nitrogen and hydrogen. It has been manufactured commercially for more than a century and is used extensively in fertiliser production, chemical manufacturing and other industrial applications.
Most conventional ammonia is produced using hydrogen derived from natural gas or coal. These production methods generate significant greenhouse gas emissions and expose manufacturers to fluctuations in fossil fuel prices.
Green ammonia provides an alternative pathway. Renewable electricity powers electrolysers that separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. The resulting hydrogen is combined with nitrogen extracted from the atmosphere to produce ammonia.
The end product is chemically identical to conventional ammonia and can serve the same established industrial markets, subject to the relevant product specifications.
The principal difference lies in how it is manufactured and the potential reduction in associated greenhouse gas emissions.
Follow the UK role out of Green Ammonia
How is Green Ammonia produced?
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1. Renewable Electricity
Electricity generated from renewable sources, such as offshore wind and solar power, provides energy for hydrogen production.
The United Kingdom's renewable energy resources offer opportunities to develop hydrogen and ammonia production capacity alongside the expansion of domestic clean energy generation.
2. Green Hydrogen Production
An electrolyser uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
When supplied with appropriately sourced renewable electricity, this process can produce hydrogen with substantially lower associated emissions than conventional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.
3. Nitrogen Separation
Nitrogen, which makes up approximately 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, is separated from air using established industrial technologies.
4. Ammonia Synthesis
The hydrogen and nitrogen are combined under controlled industrial conditions, typically using the Haber-Bosch process.
This established chemical process produces ammonia suitable for subsequent storage, transportation and industrial use.
5. Storage and Distribution
Ammonia can be stored and transported using specialist industrial equipment and established handling procedures.
Developing facilities closer to sources of hydrogen and industrial demand may help reduce transport requirements and support more resilient domestic supply chains.