Larsen & Toubro is set to deliver 10GW upstream electricity and grid infrastructure for the world’s largest green hydrogen plant. The 4.4GW green hydrogen-based ammonia project is one that is planned by Saudi-based ACWA Power. The Indian engineering firm’s RENU vertical signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Saudi power generation major for the renewables and grid scope of the Yanbu Green Ammonia Project. The scope includes solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems.
Moreover, it includes substations and transmission lines that will power the 4.4GW electrolysis facility and ammonia conversion. The facility, planned to be built in Yanbu Industrial City, is set to use 10GW of wind and solar power to produce 2.5 million tonnes of green ammonia per year. Most of the ammonia produced will be exported to key markets like Europe. Once completed, the project is expected to surpass the supposed world’s largest green hydrogen project being worked on by NEOM Hydrogen.
A Solidified Green Ammonia Export Corridor to Germany
In February 2026, project developer ACWA Power signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with German energy majors EnBW, VNG AG, and ROSTOCK PORT GmbH. Witnessed directly by the Saudi Minister of Energy, this agreement formally establishes a direct green ammonia supply corridor from Yanbu to Germany’s Port of Rostock. Once received at the port, VNG plans to crack the ammonia back into green hydrogen to inject it straight into Germany’s core national energy grid.
Final Investment Decision (FID) Nears
With the technical frameworks solidified, Topsoe executives confirmed that the massive Yanbu Green Ammonia facility is actively positioned to reach its Final Investment Decision (FID) and secure its multi-billion-dollar financing block by the end of 2026. This keeps the project precisely aligned with its broader goal of launching commercial operations by 2030.
Project Factsheet
Significance:
- Will be the largest green hydrogen project globally with 4.4GW electrolysis capacity.
- Expected to also produce 2.5 million tonnes of green ammonia annually for export.
- Central to Saudi Arabia’s ambition to dominate the global green hydrogen sector.
Infrastructure:
- Located in Yanbu Industrial City, powered by 10GW of solar and wind generation.
- Also includes battery energy storage systems, substations, and transmission lines.
- Will double the size of the under-construction 2.2GW NEOM hydrogen plant.
Developer/Consortium:
- Led by ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia’s power generation major.
- Larsen & Toubro (RENU vertical) in talks for renewables and grid delivery.
- Engineering studies contracted to Técnicas Reunidas and also Sinopec Guangzhou Engineering.
Timeline:
- Projected first-phase operation by 2030.
- MOUs signed with Edison, TotalEnergies, EnBW, and Zhero Europe for export markets.
Challenges:
- Requires large-scale grid integration and stable transmission planning.
- Global demand for green ammonia still in early stages of development.
- Execution risks due to scale, cost, and technology deployment timeline.
The Scope of Implementation on the World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant
The world’s largest green hydrogen plant is one that seems to be effectively taking shape as plans to commence its implementation are underway. ACWA has already contracted Técnicas Reunidas and Sinopec Guangzhou Engineering to conduct a 10-month engineering study for the project. There are also plans to bring the first phase online in 2030. It would represent the largest green hydrogen project in the world. It would have double the capacity of the under-construction 2.2GW NEOM plant, also in Saudi Arabia.
The project would also plug into a rapidly expanding Saudi clean energy manufacturing ecosystem. The Kingdom recently announced its first large-scale battery energy storage manufacturing plant, a joint venture that will produce up to 18GWh of storage hardware domestically — providing the kind of local supply chain that projects of this hydrogen plant’s scale will ultimately depend on.
“By developing and exporting green ammonia, we aim to support international markets in their decarbonisation efforts and pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable world,” said ACWA CEO Marco Arcelli. ACWA has also signed MOUs with Edison, TotalEnergies, Zhero Europe and EnBW to explore European demand for large-scale imports. The significance of the monumental project cannot be overstated as it is expected to revolutionize the Kingdom’s green hydrogen sector.
The Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase
The Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase for the Yanbu Green Hydrogen Hub acts as a critical blueprint, integrating 10 GW of renewable energy with 4.4 GW of electrolysis to define technical, material, and cost requirements. This phase de-risks the massive capital investment, providing the necessary clarity to transition smoothly from early-stage planning to final physical construction. By establishing this foundational baseline, the Yanbu project transitions from concept to reality through a structured, multi-phase timeline that carefully balances complex engineering with rapid deployment.
The initial design phase is on track for completion by mid-2026 to lock in the final technical blueprints and multi-billion-dollar construction proposals. Following this milestone, heavy engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) activities will accelerate through the late 2020s, heavily supported by the synchronized rollout of a massive 9GW cross-country transmission line. This systematic progression ensures that the entire 10 GW wind, solar, and grid infrastructure matures in tandem, positioning the world’s largest green hydrogen hub to achieve full commercial operations and begin exporting 2.5 million tonnes of green ammonia by 2030.
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