Ammonia specialist Fertiberia to partner with Horisont Energi for realization of the Barents Blue project

Fertiberia is one of the main crop nutrition and environmental solutions providers in the European Union and one of the leading companies in Spain and Portugal. Fertiberia is the first major company in the sector to commit to being carbon neutral in the next decade and it strengthens its position in the development of products with a high added value. The company, present in several sectors, has been a permanent reference for Spanish agriculture, one of the most advanced in the world.

“We are proud to announce the cooperation agreement with Fertiberia providing significant experience and competence in developing green ammonia projects on industrial scale. Fertiberia and Horisont Energi share the ambition of accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality through pioneering projects. Equinor and Vår Energi have been instrumental in maturing the project in the development phase ending 31 January. We look forward to work with Fertiberia to realize the project and hence contribute to the decarbonization of European industry and transportation,” says Bjørgulf Haukelidsæter Eidesen, CEO of Horisont Energi.

 

Horisont Energi and Fertiberia have entered into a cooperation agreement for the development of the Barents Blue project aiming at a full partnership agreement from 1 April 2023. Equinor and Vår Energi discontinue their participating interests in the project. The partnership change will take effect as of 31 January 2023. Fertiberia and Horisont Energi will hold 50% and 50% respectively after the partnership agreement.

“Our integration in this project is highly synergetic: we bring our experience as a European leader in sustainable crop nutrition to Barents Blue, with more than five decades of cumulated knowhow in the design, maintenance and operation of ammonia plants and with valuable expertise in the management of ammonia supply chains. Fertiberia was the first large company in the crop nutrition sector to manufacture CO2-free ammonia and crop nutrition solutions on an industrial scale in Europe. Being part of the Barents Blue project is a new opportunity for Fertiberia to accelerate our transformation and growth process in the production of clean ammonia, extend its uses to new areas such as transport and energy and become the first company in our sector to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035,” according to Javier Goñi, CEO of Grupo Fertiberia.

The Barents Blue project is Europe’s largest clean ammonia production plant located in Finnmark, in Northern Norway. Once the first train is operational, Barents Blue is planned to produce 1 million tonnes of clean ammonia and it will be the most energy efficient blue ammonia plant in the world with best-in-class carbon footprint and well aligned with the EU taxonomy.

The Barents Blue project is supported by a grant of NOK 482 million under the EU IPCEI hydrogen program, which is not affected by the changes in the partner consortium. The IPCEI award confirms the big potential and innovative nature of the Barents Blue project.

Equinor remains positive to explore gas supply solutions to the Barents Blue project from Melkøya following the changes in the partner consortium. Horisont Energi will invite new partners into the Polaris CO2 storage licence, including a qualified operator. A new licence group will bring the project forward to a submission of plan for development. The changes in the licence group will be coordinated with relevant authorities.