Dynamic green ammonia production with Skovgaard Energy

From energy surplus to long-lasting power — Skovgaard Energy is bridging the gap between renewable energy and green ammonia.  

About the Project

Located in Ramme, Northwest Jutland, Denmark, the REDDAP (Renewable Dynamic Distributed Ammonia Plant) plant brings together three energy players – Skovgaard Energy, Vestas and Topsoe – designed to demonstrate an efficient pathway to store renewable energy by converting it into green ammonia. This demonstration facility represents the world’s first direct coupling of intermittent renewable power to a Power-to-Ammonia plant. Through a first-of-its-kind green ammonia loop created by Topsoe, surplus power from the area's 87,000 solar panels and six 2MW wind turbines is being converted into green ammonia for safe storage and future use.

"The REDDAP plant is here to show two essential things," explains Pat A. Han, Skovgaard's Chief Technology Officer. "First, that green ammonia can be an effective solution to save and store renewable energy, not only to ensure it is not wasted, but so that it can be used during periods when the wind does not blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Second, this facility is built to prove that Power-to-Ammonia technology can be a scalable, commercially viable solution in the energy transition."

To achieve these two objectives, the REDDAP plant was built as a demonstration project and has received funding from the Danish Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP).

Topsoe’s role

To leverage and store the region's ample renewable energy supply, the REDDAP plant uses Topsoe’s green ammonia loop, a technology specifically designed for efficient dynamic operation. Topsoe’s ammonia loop allows for continuous operation and avoids shutdowns commonly caused by fluctuations in energy supply. With dynamic ramp-up and ramp-down rates of up to 6% per minute at the REDDAP plant, this ammonia loop can rapidly respond to power variability and can operate at feed rates as low as 10% of maximum capacity. This ensures consistent output without costly shutdowns.

How dynamic operation boosts plant performance

While the REDDAP plant is designed as a demonstration plant to showcase the possibilities of this technology, the efficiencies demonstrated by Topsoe’s ammonia loop are critical to showcasing the overall potential and profitability of this plant setup.

First, dynamic operation is essential in getting the full potential out of renewable energy. As Han explains, "Renewable energy is in a constant state of fluctuation. The sun doesn't always shine, and even in Northern Jylland, the wind doesn't always blow. You can't control it, so sometimes you have too much green power, and sometimes you do not have enough."

"To balance the grid with something that is fluctuating so much is a big challenge. It means that every millisecond's production and consumption needs to be balanced. We solve this by storing the excess in a product we need anyway – green ammonia. And we need Topsoe's green ammonia technology to do this efficiently."

Second, the efficacy of the green ammonia loop technology translates directly into the overall efficiency and cost-effective nature of the plant. "The green ammonia loop from Topsoe helps me maximize my production from my most expensive assets", explains Han, referencing the ammonia loop's ability to efficiently convert renewable power from the surrounding wind turbines and solar PV park.

Finally, this overall efficiency eliminates the need for onsite hydrogen storage, which significantly benefits onsite safety. Ammonia synthesis has traditionally been considered inflexible and unsuitable for dynamic operation without onsite hydrogen storage to 'fill in the gaps' during times of energy intermittency. Because Topsoe's green ammonia loop can conduct fast ramping and low turndown without fluctuations in pressure or unexpected heat loss, it can adapt its operations depending on power availability and production needs. This both eliminates the need for backup hydrogen and ensures that less energy from the grid is wasted in getting production up and running. This way, more renewable energy can be converted directly into green ammonia.

"I've never had any doubt that Topsoe's green ammonia technology would work."

After four years of actively collaborating and working towards solutions that will ensure the best possible coupling of renewable energy with green ammonia production, Skovgaard Energy and Topsoe have proven that finding the right partners is essential in making progress. "Topsoe has proven through many decades that it is a trusted partner, so we never had a doubt that they would fulfil their obligations in this project" explains Han. "You just don't sell something and say 'see you later'. You stay there with your client. You help them. You support them. That is the Topsoe way of working."

About Skovgaard Energy

Skovgaard Energy is based in Lemvig in Northwest Jutland and has for almost 30 years contributed to the green transition within wind, solar, biogas and Power-to-X. The energy company’s ambition is to be a leader in sustainable energy production and to contribute to a carbon-neutral future where dependence on fossil fuels is reduced and energy waste is minimized.

In Han's own words: "To me, one of the core purposes of the REDDAP plant is forming a clear and workable bridge between two markets: power and ammonia. We need the technology in the REDDAP plant to get more green energy into our grids. And with green ammonia specifically, we can accomplish this while also producing green fuels. Projects like this are a part of a wider movement towards creating diverse, reliable and profitable businesses based on green energy. This is a core part of Skovgaard's mission, and we are proud of the role the REDDAP plant plays in furthering this purpose."