Air Liquide has successfully started up the world's first industrial-scale pilot unit capable of converting ammonia into hydrogen at a rate of 30 tons per day at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium, a crucial development for establishing new low-carbon supply chains.

This technology proven at the industrial scale for the development of world scale ammonia cracking plants enables access to low-carbon and renewable hydrogen for the decarbonization of industry and mobility.

This technology addresses the challenge of transporting hydrogen, which is difficult over long distances. Ammonia is much easier to transport using existing global infrastructure, and this new process provides the "missing link" to convert it back to hydrogen efficiently at the destination point.

The process incorporates unique reactor tubes and heat integration technology to maximize energy efficiency and achieve the highest possible conversion yield with zero direct CO₂ emissions.

The technology is key to enabling access to low-carbon and renewable hydrogen for decarbonizing industries and mobility sectors, in line with objectives like the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).

Air Liquide plans to use the experience from this pilot to build larger, industrial-scale ammonia cracking plants globally. The company's "ENHANCE" project, which will include a large-scale cracker and hydrogen liquefier in Antwerp, has already received support from the European Innovation Fund.

Armelle Levieux, member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, notably supervising Innovation and Technology activities as well as Hydrogen Energy activities, stated: “The commissioning of our ammonia cracking pilot unit in Antwerp is a key milestone. This is a world’s first which paves the way for new low-carbon hydrogen supply chains. By proving the viability of industrial-scale ammonia cracking, Air Liquide demonstrates its capacity to innovate and provide concrete solutions for its customers, and contributing to the Energy Transition. I am immensely proud of the work and commitment of all our teams who made this achievement possible.”

This industrial scale pilot plant has been supported by the Flemish Government through VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship).