en.Wedoany.com Reported - ATOME's Villeta green fertilizer project in Paraguay is one of the world's first industrial-scale green fertilizer plants to be financed on a non-recourse basis. Non-recourse financing is an independent, asset-backed financing structure where lenders rely solely on the project itself for repayment.
The facility is expected to produce approximately 260,000 tons of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertilizer annually. It will utilize over 100 megawatts of electrolysis capacity, powered by Paraguay's abundant renewable hydropower, to produce green hydrogen, which will be converted into ammonia and further processed into calcium ammonium nitrate fertilizer. DNV Energy Systems conducted the technical assessment for the project, covering the entire value chain, including renewable electricity procurement, hydrogen production, ammonia conversion, and fertilizer synthesis. The assessment involved technical due diligence, risk identification, design and construction review, and assurance of technical feasibility aligned with international best practices.
Brice Le Gallo, Vice President and Regional Director for Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America at DNV Energy Systems, stated: "The ATOME Villeta project demonstrates that industrial-scale green hydrogen and fertilizer production can be both technically robust and financially viable under a project finance framework. Our team provided lenders with an independent, evidence-based assessment, giving them the confidence to invest in one of the world's most advanced green hydrogen projects in an emerging market."
The project's lenders include the European Investment Bank (EIB), IDB Invest, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO. DNV collaborated with a consortium of advisors including A&O Shearman, FERRERE, Argus Media, and ARCADIS.
Dr. Ing. Guillermo Matute, Head of DNV's Regional Hydrogen Team, noted that the Villeta project demonstrates that well-structured green hydrogen and derivative projects can become bankable in the short term and attract major international lenders. Dr. Alberto Coralli, DNV's Project Manager for this initiative, added that similar projects in the Power-to-X (PtX) sector are expected to follow the same path.
Aligned with Paraguay's strategy to leverage its renewable hydropower for developing high-value-added industries, the project will help reduce dependence on fossil-based fertilizers, create local employment, and lower lifecycle emissions in the agricultural supply chain.
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