Green Ammonia Defined in Updated Green Hydrogen Standard

^{13 January 2023} 

GENEVA – Today the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2) announces an update to the Green Hydrogen Standard (Standard), including a definition of the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of green ammonia made from green hydrogen of no more than 0.3kg CO2e per kg ammonia (NH3). 

CEO of the Green Hydrogen Organisation Jonas Moberg said: “The majority of early export-oriented green hydrogen projects plan to ship ammonia. We are delighted that the Green Hydrogen Standard now defines green ammonia which is key to decarbonising our food and energy system. This Standard is essential to establishing the global rules for the production, trade and use of sustainable zero-carbon fuels like green hydrogen and green ammonia.” 

GH2’s approach builds on the methodology proposed by the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) and today’s new definition and emissions threshold for green ammonia means producers can immediately demonstrate the climate credentials of their product.  

The Green Hydrogen Standard was launched in May 2022 and allows accredited green hydrogen projects to use the label “GH2 Green Hydrogen”. Producers are eligible to obtain and trade GH2 certificates of origin for green hydrogen and derivatives such as green ammonia.  

GH2 Chair and former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: “The Standard provides certainty and transparency to investors and other stakeholders that green hydrogen is exactly that: hydrogen made with renewable electricity which conforms to the highest standards on emissions, ESG and the sustainable development goals.” 

An initial group of six green hydrogen projects being developed by Fortescue Future Industries, Envision Group and Hy Stor Energy are currently being assessed in accordance with the Standard by assurance and risk management company DNV. 

Fortescue Future Industries CEO Mark Hutchinson said: “FFI is committed to the production of green hydrogen with zero carbon emissions and strong sustainability criteria. The Green Hydrogen Standard sets a benchmark for what can be considered “GH2 Green Hydrogen”, and we plan to implement it across our global portfolio of green hydrogen projects.” 

The Green Hydrogen Standard is a global Standard bridging the gap between countries and regions which are putting in place their own regulations. Green hydrogen producers certified by the Green Hydrogen Standard will be able to opt-in to ensure compliance with hydrogen standards being finalised in markets such as Europe and the North America.  

GH2 is a partner in the Glasgow Hydrogen Breakthrough announced at COP26 and the announcement today progresses the Hydrogen Breakthrough’s priority action to accelerate the development of so-called clean hydrogen standards. 

Along with today’s update to the Standard which is available at www.greenhydrogenstandard.org, a new multistakeholder committee made up of industry, academia and key think tanks has been established to advise the GH2 Board on future implementation and elaboration of the Green Hydrogen Standard.

Green Hydrogen Sector Lead at the UN High Level Climate Champions and a member of the new Green Hydrogen Standard Committee Rachel Fakhry said: “I am delighted to join the Green Hydrogen Standard Committee. We are in a race against time to address climate change and energy security. Certification schemes like the Green Hydrogen Standard are essential to ensuring that green hydrogen genuinely reduces emissions and is produced in a way which provides tangible benefits to local communities”.

ENDS