01 Green Ammonia as An Emerging Energy Vector With the UK doubling on hydrogen development, green ammonia is gaining importance as a carbon-efficient fuel and hydrogen carrier. The government’s updated Hydrogen Strategy targets 10 GW of low-carbon hydrogen capacity by 2030, with ammonia viewed as a viable export medium via import cracking facilities such as the planned Immingham Green Energy Terminal. This shift signals the transformation of ammonia from agricultural feedstock to a strategic energy carrier in industrial decarbonization efforts. Projects from players like ITM Power and Air Products indicate growing private-sector confidence in ammonia’s potential.
03 Why is the UK importing ammonia on a large scale? Declining domestic production and pursuing green hydrogen boost reliance on ammonia imports, especially for hydrogen cracking and industrial use. For example, in February 2025, US-based Air Products, in partnership with Associated British Ports (ABP), secured approval for its Immingham terminal, aiming to import ammonia for hydrogen conversion, though a £2 billion project was later cancelled due to policy constraints. As port terminals in the North West and Humberside mature, ammonia is increasingly positioned as an efficient hydrogen carrier into the UK market, supporting industrial clusters and trade-related decarbonization. Strategic ammonia import hubs offer the UK resilience in energy supply chains, reducing dependency on volatile gas imports while ensuring compatibility with international green hydrogen trade routes.
October 2025 The Amburn Project, led by Cardiff University with industrial partner Flogas Britain, achieved the world's first successful combustion of 100% ammonia at 500 kW using an Integrated Cracking Burner system, marking a major milestone for ammonia as a low-carbon fuel in the UK.
July 2025 AFC Energy and Industrial Chemicals Group (ICL) agreed to establish a 50:50 joint venture to produce low-carbon hydrogen from ammonia using AFC Energy's proprietary ammonia cracking technology, supporting the expansion of the UK's ammonia and hydrogen infrastructure.