OCI Global inks offtake agreement in the US: Netherlands-based chemicals producer OCI Global — in which Egyptian bn’aire Nassef Sawiris owns a 38.8% stake — has signed an offtake agreement with US-based project developer New Fortress Energy (NFE) to purchase green hydrogen from NFE’s planned large-scale green ammonia plant in Texas, according to a statement released on Friday. The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The details: The green ammonia plant will be powered by a 100 MW electrolyzer and the agreement allows OCI Global to increase its green ammonia production capacity to 160k tons per annum, the statement notes. Contractors developing the tech on behalf of NFE — including Poland’s ZeroParks — are utilizing the proton exchange membrane (PEM) technique, which allows for the separation of hydrogen from oxygen.

Part of larger plans: NFE’s planned project in its Texas-based Zero Parks will have an initial targeted production volume of 80k tons per annum by 2025, with plans to later double the generation portfolio to 160k tons a year later in 2026, the statement notes. The company says it is leveraging incentives in US President Joe Biden’s USD 369 bn inflation reduction act to expand operations in the US. “By leveraging its existing infrastructure, OCI can scale production to meet growing demand at pace and without significant capital expenditure, while leveraging the incentives offered under the Inflation Reduction Act’s 45V program,” the company notes in its statement. The company plans to double its current 200k ton green fuels production portfolio in Texas alone in the coming years, and says green methanol demand from OCI operations — aside from other green hydrogen derivatives like ammonia — will exceed 6 mn tons by 2028, according to a separate statement.

OCI-Fertiglobe’s green hydrogen project in Egypt is up and running: The company began in November commissioning of their 100 MW green hydrogen plant in Egypt’s Ain Sokhna, which will generate feedstock for green ammonia production once operational in 2024.

IN OTHER OCI NEWS– OCI Global now have a six-month permit to refuel ships in Port Said: The SCZone’s board of directors approved on Thursday a six-month renewable permit to OCI Global’s HyFuels to provide a green methanol ship bunkering service in the ports of East and West Port Said, according to a statement released on Thursday. The SCZone has established a committee to work on creating a new system of bunkering and marine services in Egyptian ports, including setting requirements for granting permanent licenses to practice ship bunkering with green fuels.

What they said: “We’re very pleased with this partnership with Egypt and the SCZone following the successful bunkering of the first ever vessel running on green methanol in East Port Said. Egypt will prove to be an important green bunkering hub in the coming years and will play an essential part of our global bunker network,” Bashir Lebada, CEO of OCI Methanol-OCI HyFuels said in emailed statements to Enterprise Climate.