AFC Energy (AIM: AFC), a leading provider of hydrogen power generation technologies, is pleased to announce the launch of its new advanced ammonia cracker technology platform. 

The Company's new cracker technology is an innovative, new hydrogen generation solution that aims to unlock the value of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier fuel across target markets in Europe and Asia. 

The Hydrogen Council now predicts that investment in international hydrogen trade is forecast to grow to US$150 billion by 2030, before increasing to US$1.5 trillion by 2050.  A large percentage is forecast to be via synthetic fuels such as ammonia, highlighting the high growth in demand for ammonia cracking technology in order to liberate hydrogen from the carrier fuel. 

Originally focused on maritime applications, AFC Energy's modular, scalable ammonia cracker technology will support the decentralized generation of low cost hydrogen, further enabling the Company's fuel cell technology in regions affected by hydrogen storage and transport challenges.  The cracker will also create new commercial opportunities as a standalone product capable for stationary, modular hydrogen generation across the global hydrogen value chain.  

The launch follows extensive cracker reactor validation testing over the past two years and completed in March at the Company's UK test facilities.  Larger modular cracker system prototypes are expected within twelve months and initial commercial deployments expected during 2025.

AFC Energy's ammonia cracker is complementary to the Company's existing fuel cell platform and supports fuel cell system salability in key markets where hydrogen supply logistics can be challenging.  

AFC Energy is seeing interest from European utilities, green and blue ammonia producers, ship owners, and heavy plant and equipment manufacturers and exploring near term commercial partnerships.

The cracker technology has now been accelerated in response to the material growth in ammonia imports being contracted into Europe (as a hydrogen carrier fuel) to support the EU's sustainable energy policies and address energy independence challenges arising out of the Ukraine conflict.          

Adam Bond, Chief Executive Officer at AFC Energy, said: 

Background - Ammonia Cracker Market Opportunity

·      Ammonia is derived from a combination of hydrogen and nitrogen molecules (NH3) without the presence of carbon, meaning it emits no CO2 when consumed. 

·      Ammonia is an excellent hydrogen carrier fuel as it is relatively easy to transport and can be stored at atmospheric temperature when pressurised. 

·      Demand for ammonia as a hydrogen carrier fuel is predicted to grow exponentially, creating a significant market for cracker technology:

·      AFC Energy's advanced ammonia cracker platform is designed to offer solutions across a number of markets.  This could include, through integration with AFC Energy's fuel cell technologies, on board maritime vessels, but equally, the cracker technology could be deployed to enable refueling of fuel cell trucks and buses where the cost of delivering hydrogen infrastructure is cost prohibitive. 

·      One use case currently under consideration is the centralised cracking of ammonia at remote construction sites with the ability to deliver hydrogen to site in the form of ammonia, crack it into hydrogen and consume the hydrogen in an AFC Energy fuel cell power generator, refuel a hydrogen logistics truck, provide hydrogen for combustion in a hydrogen engine or simply refuel onsite fuel cell diggers. 

·      Modular cracker design and low-cost system architecture makes the cracker readily scalable from small-scale hydrogen production to multi-million tonnes per annum

·      The forecast low-cost cracker production cost, scalability of design, engineering modularity, fast response time, high efficiency and the ability to fully integrate with AFC Energy's own fuel cell technology offers a competitive advantage in the market today.