Techno-economic evaluation of hydrogen use via ammonia for decarbonising industry in Wales
Type of project: SPRINT
Partners
This SPRINT was led by Cardiff University in collaboration with partners from industry, utilities, and the public sector:
● CELSA Steel UK – industrial sector
● Wales & West Utilities (WWU) – energy and utilities
● Cardiff Capital Region (CCRE) – public sector
● CR Plus – SME engineering consultancy
Several of these relationships were newly established through the project, laying the foundations for future collaboration.
Impacts at a glance
● Provided clear evidence on the cost and feasibility of using ammonia to deliver hydrogen for steelmaking: By analysing import routes, storage, handling, and cracking requirements, it demonstrated that ammonia can enable lower‑cost and more practical hydrogen supply pathways for decarbonisation of some industrial applications.
● Helped industry partners compare hydrogen and ammonia options using real-world data: This grounded the analysis in practical constraints and ensured that decisions were informed by evidence tailored to actual industrial conditions.
● Strengthened new collaborations between Cardiff University and industrial partners across Wales: drawing on impact-focused engagement grounded in shared technical challenges, these relationships have since expanded into ongoing proposals, secondments and wider decarbonisation initiatives supported by multiple regional stakeholders.
● Enabled follow-on funding bids for a hydrogen-from-ammonia demonstrator project: the technical evidence and industrial commitment justified a hydrogen‑from‑ammonia demonstrator at CELSA. This foundation directly supported the development of the HyIMPACT proposal and opened pathways for further large-scale investment
Short project description
Heavy industry plays a vital role in the Welsh economy but is also a major source of carbon emissions. While hydrogen is widely seen as a key solution for industrial decarbonisation, transporting and storing hydrogen can be costly and complex. This SPRINT explored whether ammonia could act as a practical carrier for hydrogen, helping industries transition away from fossil fuels.
The project assessed the technical and economic feasibility of delivering hydrogen to the Port of Cardiff either directly as liquid hydrogen or indirectly by transporting ammonia and converting it back into hydrogen on site. The analysis focused on the potential use of hydrogen at CELSA’s steelworks and considered different production locations worldwide, including the UK, United States, and Middle East.
By comparing costs, infrastructure needs, and emissions impacts across multiple scenarios, the project provided partners with a clear, evidence-based understanding of which options could work in practice and which offer the best value in the near and medium term.
Academic Quote
Professor Agustin Valera Medina, Co-Director, Net Zero Innovation Institute and Professor in Teaching and Research, Cardiff University
“GW‑SHIFT has played a vital role in strengthening collaboration between industry and academia by placing researchers within Wales & West Utilities. This partnership has been essential in moving our work from early feasibility studies toward practical application.
“We set out to find the most economic and reliable way to bring net-zero alternatives like hydrogen and ammonia to sites without direct hydrogen infrastructure. By using industrial data rather than theory alone, we were able to understand how these vectors could genuinely replace natural gas in steel production.
“This support provided through GW-SHIFT has been instrumental in progressing this project, and we are keen to continue our collaboration as we move from feasibility to real-world impact.”
