Buckeye Partners subsidiary Bear Head Energy has filed for an environmental assessment for a 2 million ton per annum green ammonia production facility in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.
The filing begins a review period seeking public comments through March 23, with a decision due by April 12 from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on whether the project can be granted conditional environmental assessment approval.
If approved, Bear Head will construct a green ammonia facility in phases depending on the availability of renewable power, with first ammonia estimated to occur by mid-2028. A final investment decision is planned by the end of 2024.
The project is within the Point Tupper Industrial Park, where another green ammonia project — with EverWind Fuels as the proponent — recently received environmental approvals.
At full build out and peak power inflow, the Bear Head facility could produce 350,000 tonnes of hydrogen and 2 million tonnes of ammonia per year. Peak power at full build out could be as high as 3 GW including 2 GW of electrolyzer capacity. Hydrogen production is based on 2,860 MW average power input with about 70% of the incoming power (2,000 MW) consumed by the electrolysers and 30% (860 MW) consumed in the Haber Bosch unit, ASU, utilities and balance of the plant.
The facility will be located within the footprint of the previously approved, but not fully constructed, Bear Head LNG Project, and would include electrolysis units for green hydrogen production, air separation units for nitrogen generation, Haber-Bosch ammonia synthesis units, ammonia bulk storage tanks, and a marine terminal plus associated infrastructure, the filing says.
More than $150m has been invested in engineering and site development, according to the project website, including roads, drainage, site leveling and pouring of LNG tank foundations.
Approximately 15 million liters of water/day on average (4 million US gallons of water/day) will be required by the facility and will be supplied to the site via pipeline from the Landrie Lake Water Utility, which has regulatory approval for an allowable daily withdrawal limit of 36 million liters per day. Power supply for the project will be provided from renewable power via the grid and/or direct power connection from primarily new onshore and/or potential future offshore renewable energy projects
Buckeye Partners, a major midstream energy company in the US, is 100% owned by IFM Investors, a global investment firm.
