New project launched to crack ammonia for high-purity hydrogen

Hydrogen is set to play a critical role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors like high-temperature industry, heavy-duty transport, maritime and aviation, according to the EU Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. It is a cornerstone for reaching the 2050 climate neutrality goals of the European Green Deal.

Transporting and storing hydrogen, however, remains a major challenge. Its small molecules can damage pipelines, and its low energy density requires high-pressure or cryogenic storage. To overcome these hurdles, ammonia is emerging as a promising hydrogen carrier, thanks to its ease of handling, existing infrastructure and established pathways for conversion to and from hydrogen.

The COUPLE project is tackling these challenges with an innovative ammonia cracking technology that produces high-purity, pressurised hydrogen. By combining palladium-based membrane reactors (PdMR) and proton ceramic electrochemical reactors (PCER), it efficiently extracts hydrogen, balances thermal management and minimises energy losses.

Building on the EU project SINGLE, which demonstrated ammonia cracking at 10 kg H₂/day, COUPLE scales up the technology to a 100 kg H₂/day demonstration plant in Poppendorf, Germany. The system targets energy efficiency above 90%, ammonia conversion over 99.9%, and hydrogen recovery above 95%, with a projected cost of 0.75 €/kg H₂ (excluding ammonia). Over 5,000 hours of operation, COUPLE will advance the technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7.

“COUPLE is a great example of European innovation at work. We’re building on the success of SINGLE, reusing some of its assets to make the most of public funding. SINGLE took the technology from TRL 3 to TRL 5, and now COUPLE pushes it to TRL 7. It’s a real demonstration of how hydrogen production technologies are evolving, and how they will soon be market-ready to help tackle CO₂ emissions. As we move closer to the market, I encourage anyone interested in this field to get in touch and learn more”, expressed Gautier Papon, Project Coordinator.

The project brings together a consortium of leading industry and research partners: CoorsTek Membrane Sciences, GEA Energia Crio, CAMPFIRE AG, Hulteberg Chemistry and Engineering, SINTEF AS, Fondazione ICONS, RWTH Aachen, and Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya. Their combined expertise spans catalysis, membrane reactors, process engineering, and industrial ammonia operations.

“The COUPLE project represents a major step forward translating cutting-edge hydrogen research into real societal and market impact. ICONS will design and implement strategies to increase the project’s visibility among stakeholders and ensure its innovations successfully reach the market. From the very start of the project, our focus is on maximising impact and foster the adoption of innovative hydrogen solutions across Europe”, remarked Ani Asatryan, Project Management Officer at ICONS.

In conclusion, COUPLE will demonstrate that highly integrated ammonia cracking is not just technically feasible but also commercially viable, helping unlock ammonia’s potential as a global hydrogen carrier and advancing Europe’s clean energy transition.