Pre-Certification of Australia's first green ammonia project certified
The Smart Energy Council today announced Yara International’s green ammonia plant being built in the Pilbara, Western Australia has been provided pre-certification from the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme, recognising a commitment to produce renewable ammonia from energy produced by on-site solar PV.
“This is the first green ammonia project to be certified under the Smart Energy Council’s world-leading Zero Carbon Certification Scheme,” said Mr. John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Smart Energy Council.
The WA Government is a founding partner of the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme which now has 15 Founding Partners and international advisors.
WA Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; and the Hydrogen Industry, Hon. Alannah MacTiernan MLC, said “this is exactly the investment we want to make WA a renewable energy and green ammonia exporting superpower.”
Yara, one of the world’s biggest fertilizer companies and a leading ammonia producer, is a frontrunner with zero carbon certification of its green ammonia plant in the Pilbara. The plant received funding from the WA Government and the Federal Government through ARENA. Construction will commence in 2023. This is the first stage to make one of the world’s biggest fertiliser plants zero emissions in Australia.
“This certification will provide guarantees to our customers in Asia, Australia and Europe that the quantities supplied will be produced according to strict standards and inform customers about key aspects such as the renewable origin and greenhouse gas footprint,” said Mr. Magnus Ankarstrand, President of Yara Clean Ammonia.
“Any investment in the Australian hydrogen industry should be in green hydrogen, that is hydrogen made from 100 per cent renewable electricity. That is why the Smart Energy Council’s scheme is important because it will enable hydrogen and related products to be certified as zero emissions. It is critical that we can track how these products are manufactured so customers can be certain that the product they select is genuinely zero emissions,” said John Grimes, CEO Smart Energy Council.
“WA Government is proud to be a founding partner of the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme. We have now pre-certified a project that will be powered by renewable energy and that will effectively produce zero emissions hydrogen,” said Hon. Alannah McTiernan MLC.
“Achieving certification provides certainty to our customers and confidence in the emerging green hydrogen industry. Customers want to know how it is made and how big the greenhouse footprint is,” said Mr. Leigh Holder, Business Development Director in Yara Clean Ammonia.
Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification were engaged to undertake the technical assessments for the pre-certification on this project.
“As the energy transition gains momentum, it offers industries and companies significant opportunities to decarbonise their operations, implement new processes and bring new products to market. Independent Certification of the origin and source of green ammonia and green hydrogen production and the associated carbon factor becomes a critical element for enabling offtake and provides assurance to stakeholders around the commitment organisations are making towards net zero targets. Through its independence and impartiality Bureau Veritas is bringing trust and credibility to various stakeholders through the energy transition.” said Dr. Andrew Mortimore, Chief Executive – Pacific Region, Bureau Veritas
Other Founding Partners in the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme include the Ammonia Energy Association, the COP26 High Level Champions, Power Ledger, CWP Global, Energy Web, Star Scientific and the ACT renewable hydrogen cluster. The German Energy Agency (dena) and the Green Hydrogen Catapult are Advisors to the Scheme. The Smart Energy Council is also collaborating with the Green Hydrogen Organisation on the global standard for green hydrogen.
CONTACT:
For interviews and more information, contact Konrad Drogemuller at Bureau Veritas Australia and New Zealand on +61 438 636 652.
August 2022
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About Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 80,000 employees located in nearly 1,600 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.
Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the CAC 40 ESG, CAC Next 20 and SBF 120 indices. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.
About Yara Pilbara
Yara grows knowledge to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet. Supporting our vision of a world without hunger and a planet respected, we pursue a strategy of sustainable value growth, promoting climate-friendly crop nutrition and zero-emission energy solutions. Yara’s ambition is focused on growing a nature positive food future that creates value for our customers, shareholders and society at large and delivers a more sustainable food value chain.
To achieve our ambition, we have taken the lead in developing digital farming tools for precision farming and work closely with partners throughout the food value chain to improve the efficiency and sustainability of food production. Through our focus on clean ammonia production, we aim to enable the hydrogen economy, driving a green transition of shipping, fertiliser production and other energy intensive industries.
Founded in 1905 to solve the emerging famine in Europe, Yara has established a unique position as the industry’s only global crop nutrition company. We operate an integrated business model with around 17,000 employees and operations in over 60 countries, with a proven track record of strong returns. In 2021, Yara reported revenues of USD 16.6 billion.
https://www.yara.com
About Smart Energy Council
The Smart Energy Council is the peak industry body for solar, storage and smart energy in Australia. Founded in 1954, today the Council is a not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee. We have over 1000 members nationwide, including solar and storage manufacturers, distributors, retailers and installers, renewable energy project developers and investors, academics, analysts and consultants. The Smart Energy Council is also responsible for the delivery and development of the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme, through its division Hydrogen Australia, from 2020.
https://smartenergy.org.au/