Denmark's Topsoe provides a wide range of technology solutions to projects for renewable or low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives, including catalysts, solid-oxide electrolysers (SOECs), ammonia and methanol synthesis technologies and ammonia cracking systems. Its portfolio also includes alternative approaches to reforming technology and reverse water gas shift processes for e-fuels production through its eReact products. The firm's ammonia loop technology was recently selected by Texas-based Synergen Energy for a renewable ammonia facility. Topsoe is also providing its SynCOR autothermal reforming technology to CF Industries' Louisiana blue ammonia project, Sandpiper Chemicals' Texas blue methanol plant and other facilities. Argus spoke with the firm's senior vice president for clean fuels and chemicals technology, Mikala Grubb, about the different solutions, wider industry developments, project plans and co-operations. Edited highlights follow:
What is your perspective on the blue hydrogen and ammonia space, and which regions are most active?
We have seen a lot of projects materialising in the US, although activity is currently slowing down a little due to geopolitical uncertainty. But there is still activity. CF Industries' Louisiana blue ammonia project, for example, did take a final investment decision earlier this year. Europe at one point seemed to be very pro-green [hydrogen and ammonia]. But it is now softening its position as there is a recognition that you need all solutions.
The Middle East is also an interesting region. China's 15th five-year plan makes it very clear that they are moving ahead with blue projects as well. Our SynCOR autothermal reforming technology has significant advantages for very large-scale projects because it is very well-suited for carbon capture and storage. You get the CO2 at the high pressure needed to store it, which is a real advantage.
Is Topsoe improving its other existing technologies?
We are finding new applications for more traditional technologies. For example, we found that if you exchange a refinery's Claus desulphurisation unit with our Wet Sulphuric Acid (WSA) unit, you can prevent a lot of CO2 emissions. We have seen this in India, where they reported massive CO2 savings after implementing our WSA technology.
Another good example is our H2 Bridge concept. Our HydroFlex technology consumes a lot of hydrogen when you hydroprocess renewable feedstock because there is a lot of oxygen to remove. Our colleagues in hydrogen and hydroprocessing realised that the off-gases from the HydroFlex unit resemble natural gas. So we feed those off-gases into our hydrogen unit to make more hydrogen, which is then fed back into the HydroFlex unit. This significantly lowers the carbon profile of the renewable fuel, because the majority of the CO2 impact from renewable fuel production actually comes from the hydrogen production side.
Can you provide an update on the Zaffra joint venture with Sasol?
The joint venture with Sasol is progressing as planned. It was established to work on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by not only becoming a producer, but also using the joint venture to mature some of the technologies. We have a very good collaboration and Zaffra has projects in the pipeline. Besides working with Zaffra, we have been working with Sasol on gas-to-liquids technologies for a long time. One of the goals is to act as a single-point licensor for gas-to-liquids plants and related technologies to lower the risk and increase the comfort for our customers, as they only have to deal with one party.
Topsoe is licensing a demo-scale synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) plant to the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). How do you see electrified technologies such as eReact fitting into the market?
We have been developing eReact for many years. We have a small eReact reformer pilot in Denmark, not far from the Herning electrolyser plant that has been operating for several years. We gained a lot of knowledge through this and are ready to license this technology at full scale. You can use eReact to minimise fossil fuel consumption as the reformer is fully electrified and can use renewable energy. You can also use biogas as feedstock. It's just a question of who is willing to commit now. That's why I think our e-SAF project with the German Aerospace Centre is great. It will demonstrate eReact in the reverse water gas shift variant in DLR's e-SAF plant at close-to-commercial scale.
What is your outlook on how different SAF pathways — hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA), alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) and e-SAF — will compete?
My point of view is that we need them all. This is not a competition where one technology wins. When you look at the price point, HEFA is by far the cheapest right now. But in 2030, there will be a tipping point because there is only a certain amount of HEFA feedstock available. The HEFA plants being built now will continue operating with the available feedstock. The next step is ATJ, and e-SAF. They will come on line as time progresses.
In 100 years, the majority of SAF produced will probably be e-SAF, but there will still be some ATJ and HEFA. The whole point is the feedstock. Waste in one place is feedstock in another. If we become more aware of having a circular approach and utilising this biogenic waste instead of just letting it rot, it can be used to produce SAF.
How is Topsoe positioned for maritime fuels, especially given the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) recent decision to postpone the net zero framework?
We are open for all projects. Some advanced fuels from waste will be quite suitable for maritime as a stepping stone. Of course, there is also ammonia and methanol. As we discussed with CF Industries, we are ready with blue ammonia, and we also have methanol. Speaking about the IMO decision or postponement, it just is what it is. As soon as the industry is ready to do it, we are ready as well. Our technology is already commercially available.
How does Topsoe frame the conversation around decarbonisation efforts with its customers?
Scientifically, in this industry, we are not decarbonising — we are lowering the carbon intensity. The task we have at Topsoe is to make sure that we enable our customers to lower their carbon intensity — whether it's an efficiency improvement in a refinery in the Middle East, an SAF plant in China or a blue hydrogen plant in the US. The better we make our technologies, the lower the carbon intensity is.
What is the key selling point for SOEC compared with alkaline and proton exchange membrane electrolysers?
One of the points that I really like about our SOECs is that they are not based on rare earth minerals, which gives you flexibility. Also, you can lower the overall energy consumption when you integrate the SOEC downstream with our ammonia and methanol technologies. That integration is one of the bigger advantages of our SOEC technology.
