Germany’s energy-intensive industries are set to benefit from a new large-scale ammonia cracker project, jointly announced by thyssenkrupp Uhde—a subsidiary of steel giant thyssenkrupp—and German energy firm Uniper.
The pioneering initiative involves the construction of the world’s first demonstration-scale ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker, designed to convert imported ammonia into pure hydrogen. The plant, which will have an ammonia processing capacity of 28 metric tons per day, will be located at Uniper’s Gelsenkirchen-Scholven site in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is also providing financial backing.
Ammonia will be thermally split into hydrogen and nitrogen, with the resulting hydrogen purified for industrial use. This approach is expected to supply clean hydrogen to key sectors such as steelmaking and energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and imported hydrogen.
Germany currently depends heavily on hydrogen imports, making this project a strategic step toward energy independence, industrial decarbonization, and long-term energy security.
The demonstration plant is a critical milestone in Germany’s hydrogen roadmap and reflects growing efforts to establish a sustainable hydrogen economy that supports the transition of its high-emission industries.
VietnamSteel by Hoa Sen Group
