Rob Stevens is our Program Director of the Clean Ammonia Innovation Platform. For ISPT a new subject, but for Rob a true passion that he has been tirelessly pursuing for over 25 years. Since January 2023, we may welcome Rob to ISPT.
“I started ammonia-related work about 25 years ago. After my PhD research at TU Delft on enzymatic reactions in near-critical carbon dioxide in 1997, I started working for Yara. Early on I decided to focus my efforts on ammonia. This allowed me to travel all over the world, from The Netherlands, to Qatar, Norway, Australia and finally back to Norway.” The latter has been Rob his home for about six years. “And with great pleasure,” especially since Rob and his wife are passionate cross-country skiers. Something the Norwegian landscape lends itself well to. His three daughters have left the warm nest in recent years to study abroad.
Now is the time we must recognise the value of Ammonia in the energy transition
Rob Stevens – Green Ammonia expert
During his time at Yara, Rob experienced firsthand what it is like to collaborate with ISPT. He was for example involved in the consortium of HyChain and the MegaWatt Test Center. Now, Rob will lead the Clean Ammonia Innovation Platform. He hopes to use his drive and expertise to make clean ammonia a success and to coordinate ISPT’s position in this new economy. “Right now, it is of extreme importance that we all head in the same direction. Hydrogen is a crucial element of the energy transition. And the industry is already considering alternatives. It is time to shine a more positive light on ammonia as an energy carrier to support the hydrogen industry and work towards a fossil free industry.”
“I hope that with this platform we may have a coordinating and supporting role for the other initiatives that are already taken in the field of ammonia. In the coming years, I expect at least double production of ammonia. The market will slowly start to grow. Starting off with ammonia as shipping fuel, for example in the port of Rotterdam, and later as hydrogen carrier. This way, we can introduce ammonia into the energy transition. Working in consortia contributes to that. First, because we create and disseminate knowledge with relevant industrial partners. But also, because we can, for example, identify the safety, risks and economic benefits of ammonia and share those insights industry-wide.”