(Yicai) July 28 -- The world’s largest single-unit green ammonia production project, operated by Chinese energy giant Jilin Electric Power, has officially come on stream in Da’an, China’s northeastern Jilin province.

The Da’an Wind and Solar Green Hydrogen Synthesis Ammonia Integration Demonstration Project commenced operations yesterday, after just over two years of construction, Changchun-based Jilin Electric announced on July 26.

With an installed capacity of 800 megawatts of renewable energy -- 700 MW from wind power and 100 MW from solar power -- the Da’an Project is expected to have an annual production capacity of 32,000 tons of hydrogen and 180,000 tons of ammonia once fully operational.

Leveraging the abundant wind and solar resources in Jilin, the Da’an Project produces hydrogen through water electrolysis and then combines it with nitrogen from the air to synthesize ammonia through catalytic action. The resulting green ammonia is applied in the chemical, transportation, and power generation sectors.

The project can reduce carbon emissions by about 650,000 tons annually, saving about 230,000 tons of standard coal, which is equivalent to offsetting carbon emissions from nearly 500,000 ordinary households every year.

“With more and more large wind-solar hydrogen-methanol-ammonia projects coming on stream, wind and solar power projects, especially those with excess electricity, will develop new consumption models,” a photovoltaic industry investor told Yicai.

Wind and solar power are the energy sources for green hydrogen-based projects, and future demand for green hydrogen, green methanol, and green ammonia will directly influence the scale of wind and solar power consumption in this field, the investor added.

Jilin Electric has signed sales agreements for the Da’an Project with several domestic and foreign enterprises from Europe, Japan, and South Korea, including the Chinese branch of French electricity utility giant Electricité de France and Dutch independent infrastructure provider Royal Vopak Group.

The first batch of green ammonia produced at the Da’an Project was officially delivered to downstream clients yesterday.

Editor: Futura Costaglione