ATOME PLC (AIM:ATOM) has completed the front-end engineering design (FEED) study for its 145 MW green fertiliser facility at Villeta, Paraguay
This, according to ATOME, is the first known completion of FEED for a large-scale green fertiliser project worldwide.
ATOME is targeting a final investment decision (FID) and the start of construction by the end of 2024.
The FEED study, which required approximately 100,000 hours of engineering and produced 619 individual documents and reports, confirms the project's design, processes, timelines, and production capacity of 264,000 tonnes per year of green calcium ammonium nitrate fertiliser.
It has the potential to displace up to 15 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the project's lifespan, ATOME said in a press release.
Chief executive Olivier Mussat stated: "ATOME continues to follow its strategy and systematically deliver major milestones on the road to starting construction at Villeta by the end of this year.
“Completion of this complex and detailed FEED study, which we believe is the first for an industrial scale, fully-green, fertiliser facility, provides the necessary foundational engineering not only for our first Villeta Project but for ATOME to apply elsewhere, consolidating our position as an international leader in green fertiliser production.
“Our immediate attention now turns to offtake and EPC, both of which will allow us to move towards the delivery of FID this year."
Jennifer Obertino, global energy practice lead at infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, worked alongside ATOME over the last 18 months.
She said: "The Villeta Project has grown into one of the most advanced of its kind in the world.
“We have worked with ATOME on its unique journey in delivering zero-carbon fertiliser from 2027, bringing in our expertise in accelerating the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors and partnering with clients to bring innovative solutions to the market."