Höegh Evi and Nord Gas Solutions (formerly Wärtsilä Gas Solutions) have announced the completion of performance testing of an ammonia-to-hydrogen cracking unit at the Sustainable Energy pilot plant in Stord, Norway.

The pilot cracker is claimed to have demonstrated high performance across a range of parameters including conversion rate, efficiency, hydrogen yield and operational flexibility. Operating through what is described as a single, stable process, the unit converts ammonia into hydrogen at a purity level exceeding 99.5%.

The cracker features a modular design that the companies say is optimised for adaptability and scalability, making it suitable for deployment in both floating terminals and land-based applications. Höegh Evi is currently developing floating terminals with the claimed capacity to deliver hydrogen at an industrial scale of up to 200,000 tonnes per year.

Nils Jakob Hasle, EVP Clean Energy at Höegh Evi, commented: "Höegh Evi is very pleased with the testing results of our ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker, which has demonstrated high performance, stability and efficient conversion from ammonia to hydrogen. This milestone further confirms the case for floating terminals as a fast and competitive path to implementing hydrogen at scale. We look forward to validating these results further in long-term testing."

Taro Mukae, VP Technology at Nord Gas Solutions, stated: "This successful testing phase marks an important milestone in validating ammonia cracking as a reliable and scalable pathway to hydrogen. The results confirm both the efficiency and operational robustness of our technology, supporting its readiness for deployment in industrial-scale applications."

European ports are emerging as a gateway where import terminals can receive ammonia and convert it to hydrogen. Together with partners, Höegh Evi is progressing the development of several maritime terminals across Europe where the ammonia cracking technology is planned for deployment on floating or onshore terminals.

The technology development has received financial support from the Norwegian Green Platform programme. The consortium behind the project includes BASF, contributing to catalyst supply; the University of South-East Norway; Sustainable Energy; and the Norwegian Institute for Energy Technology (IFE).

Höegh Evi, which has operated floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) for importing natural gas for 50 years, is involved in the development of floating terminals for ammonia and hydrogen import, the world’s first floating ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker, and services for carbon transport and permanent storage.

Nord Gas Solutions is a provider of systems and lifecycle solutions for the gas value chain, with a focus on marine gas handling, gas-to-power, liquefaction and biogas.