MINGO COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A multi-billion-dollar clean ammonia production facility is advancing in Mingo County, WV, with anticipated construction beginning in 2024, Adams Fork Energy, LLC, CNX Resources Corp., and other partners announced today.
The Adams Fork Energy clean ammonia project, jointly developed by Adams Fork Energy, LLC and the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, is expected to have initial annual ammonia production capacity of 2,160,000 metric tons, with optional additional production capacity. Project developers have entered into a strategic partnership with CNX, one of the lowest carbon intensive natural gas producers in the lowest emissions basin in the United States, to provide fuel and carbon sequestration services.
The project is expected to support 2,000 well-paying construction jobs, including pipefitters and electrical workers, as well as generate significant tax revenues and capital investment for underserved Mingo County in Southern West Virginia. The planned facility is also located on a reclaimed coal mining site near Gilbert Creek, WV, further aligning the project with the White House’s Justice40 Initiative.
Adams Fork is an anchor project in the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub’s (ARCH2) application to the U.S. Department of Energy. ARCH2 is a regional hub bringing together private industry, state and local government, academic and technology institutions, NGOs, and community organizations across the Northern Appalachian region including West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The region is the ideal location for a clean hydrogen hub due to its unique access to ample low-cost natural gas feedstock, end-user demand, workforce and technology capability, and carbon sequestration potential.
“The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to deliver for West Virginia. Today’s announcement of plans for a clean ammonia production facility in Mingo County will help ensure the Mountain State continues to be a leader in American energy innovation and support good paying, West Virginia energy jobs. This project, planned for a reclaimed coal mining site near Gilbert Creek, honors our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse while keeping an eye on the future as we work to bring an Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub to West Virginia. I applaud the cooperation it took to bring this project to Mingo County and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to the community, economy, and our energy security,” said Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).
“Since I’ve been Governor, it has been my top priority to ensure Southern West Virginia has the resources to grow economically, and that is why this announcement brings me so much joy,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said. “I’m incredibly proud that the Adams Fork Energy plant will become the largest clean ammonia facility in the country. I’m confident they will be a champion in this emerging field and help our Southern West Virginia communities flourish for decades to come. It’s a testament to the great things that can be accomplished when we all work together to build a brighter future for all West Virginians, while never forgetting our hard-working coal miners and the hard work they do every day.”
Adams Fork has received significant federal, state, and local bipartisan support, and is expected to displace more than 2.7 million metric tons per year of CO2 equivalent or more than 580,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven annually.
“Adams Fork Energy is a transformational manufacturing investment for Southern West Virginia,” said Francis Sacr, Special Advisor to the President of Adams Fork Energy. “Thanks to leadership in Washington through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re excited to advance our clean ammonia production facility that will create family-sustaining local jobs while boosting available supply of clean ammonia, a critical component to sustainable food production and achieving a lower-carbon energy future.”
By sourcing local low carbon intensity Appalachian natural gas as feedstock and installing carbon capture technology, Adams Fork Energy will have an ultra-low carbon intensity profile.
CNX President and CEO Nick Deiuliis said, “This project is accelerating America’s lower carbon energy and manufacturing future in the heart of Appalachia. Similar to our other regional projects, CNX’s unique combination of assets, innovative technologies, and proven operational expertise make us the premier energy and tech company driving the Basin’s lower emission future. We’re excited to work alongside these like-minded partners to advance shared goals of improving lives in local communities, generating clean, Appalachian-sourced energy, all while forging a stronger, more sustainable Appalachian region for all its citizens.”
Ammonia has been identified as one of the most efficient hydrogen carriers and also results in zero carbon emissions when combusted. It is primarily used in agriculture as a fertilizer, but other applications include heating and power generation, refrigerant, water purification, and in manufacturing plastics, textiles, and pesticides.
President Anthony Reider of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe stated, “The advancement of this project benefits the tribe economically, and the use of innovative technology presents a viable source of domestic energy independence for the United States. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is excited about this project and is confident that it will be a huge component of the clean energy economy. Our participation will present unique opportunities for federal funding for the project and the Tribe will benefit from educational opportunities afforded by the project’s sponsors to our Tribal members.”
With a business model covering the full value chain, progressing toward solutions to support decarbonization efforts, Haldor Topsoe will furnish clean ammonia production technology for the state-of-the-art Adams Fork facility.
Henrik Rasmussen, Managing Director, the Americas, for Haldor Topsoe Inc. said, “We are excited that TransGas has selected Topsoe’s industry leading SynCOR™ clean ammonia technology for this mega scale blue ammonia plant in West Virginia. This project will be an important part of the energy transition with a CO2 capture of more than 99%. The plant will produce 6,000 Metric tons per day of decarbonized clean ammonia in the first phase.”
