Yara, the Norwegian fertilizer corporation, has adopted an innovative mass balance approach to integrate low-carbon ammonia production into its end-product range.
This mechanism, called Yara Ammonia Transfer System , allows the joint management of renewable ammonia and that derived from fossil sources in a single system, without physical differentiation in its storage, which optimizes operational efficiency.
What is the process to reduce carbon?
The process involves the use of renewable energy sources and electrolysis techniques, as well as the use of natural gas in combination with carbon capture technologies , to produce ammonia with a reduced carbon footprint.
Converging these methods into a single storage system avoids physical segregation and potentially reduces the costs and emissions related to separate handling of different types of ammonia.
Yara has implemented a rigorous internal carbon accounting methodology, dubbed Carbon Watch, which monitors and verifies carbon emissions associated with its entire production chain. This tool ensures that the quantity of fertilizers marketed as low carbon does not exceed the effective production of renewable or low-emission ammonia, ensuring the integrity and transparency of the process.
In addition, Yara provides its customers with fertilizers that include a verified carbon intensity declaration. These products may contain varying proportions of renewable or conventional ammonia, but the overall reduction in carbon intensity closely reflects the benefits derived from the use of renewable sources and emissions reduction technologies.
Both the Ammonia Transfer System and Carbon Watch have been validated by DNV, a renowned Norwegian classification society.
Future growth of the Yara project
Yara’s production of renewable ammonia is currently concentrated at its Porsgrunn plant in Norway, which began operations in late 2023 with a projected capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year.
Additionally, Yara has confirmed the expansion of its carbon capture and storage project at the Sluiskil plant in the Netherlands, with a potential to capture up to 800,000 tons of CO₂ by 2026. The production of both facilities will be integrated into the mass balance system.
At present, the Ammonia Transfer System applies exclusively to the internal production of Yara, but there is the possibility of expanding this system to external providers in the future. The company has also established a supply agreement with Acme, an Indian renewable energy company, to source renewable ammonia from a future plant in Oman, which is expected to be operational by 2026.
This ammonia could be incorporated into Yara’s carbon accounting, thus expanding the application of this approach.
This mass balance method facilitates the transition to more sustainable options without incurring additional costs for specific transportation and storage and also allows for gradual adaptation using existing infrastructure. This is crucial in the fertilizer sector, where sustainability must be balanced with affordability.
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Source: Argus .
Photo: Shutterstock .
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