Market and product

Content editor: Bảo Hiền

A project in New South Wales combines solar power, energy storage, water electrolysis and ammonia synthesis to create a low-emission supply chain for fuel and fertilizer directly within an agricultural area.

An integrated energy and fertilizer production model is being developed in Moree, northeastern New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) project uses solar power to produce green hydrogen, which is then combined with nitrogen extracted from the air to make ammonia.

The approach is notable for bringing green hydrogen technology into direct agricultural applications, particularly fertilizer production.

Turning sunlight into fuel and fertilizer

Rather than transporting electricity, hydrogen and fertilizer from centralized production facilities to agricultural areas, GEGHA is designed to carry out several stages of the process at the point of use.

The system includes 36 MW of solar generation capacity, comprising 9 MW of existing capacity and 27 MW of new capacity, combined with a 41 MWh battery energy storage system.
Renewable electricity is supplied to a 15 MW electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then used to synthesize ammonia with nitrogen separated from the air.
The facility is designed to produce around 16 tonnes of ammonia per day, with storage capacity for 600 tonnes.

The system creates a relatively integrated production chain: solar energy → electricity → green hydrogen → ammonia → fertilizer.

The ammonia produced on site will be used across approximately 26,300 hectares of farmland, including cotton-growing areas. Hydrogen will also be used as fuel for irrigation pumps and heavy-duty trucks.

Solar technology optimized for hydrogen production

A key element of the model is the ability to provide a sufficiently stable electricity supply for the electrolysis system.

The new 27 MW solar facility will use Vertex S+ modules rated at 510-515 W, incorporating n-type i-TOPCon cell technology and a dual-glass design.

The technology is intended to limit module degradation during operation and maintain electricity output over an extended period.

This is particularly relevant to green hydrogen production because water electrolysis requires a reliable electricity supply. Significant fluctuations in renewable generation can affect electrolyzer utilization and the economics of the overall production chain.

Combining solar generation with a 41 MWh battery storage system therefore gives the project greater flexibility in managing electricity supply rather than relying entirely on real-time solar output.

From green hydrogen to low-emission fertilizer

The most significant feature of the project is not simply the production of green hydrogen, but its direct integration into ammonia production.

Ammonia is a key feedstock for the fertilizer industry. Today, most hydrogen used to produce ammonia is generated from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas.

Under the new model, hydrogen is produced by splitting water using renewable electricity. If the system operates entirely on renewable power, the carbon emissions associated with ammonia production can be significantly reduced compared with conventional production methods.

The approach also addresses another challenge facing agriculture: fertilizer can be produced close to where it is needed, reducing transportation requirements and dependence on external suppliers.

An energy facility located within a cotton-growing region

GEGHA is being developed next to the Wathagar cotton gin at the Keytah agricultural property. This location allows the energy and products generated by the facility to be directly integrated into agricultural operations.

Rather than treating renewable energy, hydrogen and fertilizer as separate sectors, the project connects them into a single system serving the same production chain.

Solar power provides the energy for hydrogen production. Hydrogen becomes the feedstock for ammonia synthesis. The ammonia is returned to farmland as fertilizer, while hydrogen can also be used to power agricultural equipment such as irrigation pumps and heavy-duty trucks.

This approach is gaining attention as part of the development of low-carbon agriculture, where the goal is not only to reduce emissions from individual operations but also to redesign the agricultural input supply chain as a whole.

Potential to cut 17,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually

The project reached a final investment decision in July 2025 and construction began in May 2026. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2027.

Once completed, the system is designed to produce up to 200 tonnes of green hydrogen and 4,500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year.

According to the project developer, the facility could reduce emissions by around 17,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.

The project has received financing from the National Australia Bank and AUD 45.2 million in support from the NSW Government through initiatives supporting hydrogen hubs and net-zero manufacturing.

A model that could be replicated in other agricultural regions

GEGHA is being developed as a pilot model for decentralized hydrogen and fertilizer production.

Unlike large-scale centralized green hydrogen projects designed to supply fuel to broad markets, this approach places production facilities close to areas with direct demand for energy and fertilizer.

If the model proves technically and economically viable, it could be adapted to other agricultural regions with strong renewable energy resources.

For Australia, which has extensive agricultural land and significant solar energy potential, integrating renewable energy with local fertilizer production could provide a way to reduce emissions while improving the resilience of agricultural input supplies.

The GEGHA model illustrates how renewable energy can be integrated into an entire agricultural production chain: generating electricity, producing hydrogen, synthesizing ammonia and returning the resulting product to the farm. This integration is the project's most notable innovation in the emerging connection between renewable energy and low-carbon agriculture.

Reference
1. World Fertilizer, "Australian green hydrogen and ammonia facility to use Trinasolar technology," 31/7/2026 (Oliver Kleinschmidt). 
2. Ammonia Energy Association, "GEGHA construction under way in Australia," 1/6/2026. 
3. Good Earth Cotton, trang giới thiệu dự án "Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) Project." 
4. Chính quyền bang New South Wales (NSW Government), "Construction begins on NSW's first end-to-end green hydrogen hub," 15/5/2026. 
5. Hiringa Energy, "Regional Green Hydrogen gets green light," 24/7/2025.