Yara International ASA

Their core work

Yara is one of the world's largest fertilizer and industrial chemical companies, headquartered in Oslo. In H2020, they contributed industrial-scale expertise across several strategic areas: securing European supply chains for critical raw materials like rare earth elements (SecREEts), piloting ammonia as a zero-emission maritime fuel (ShipFC), and testing 5G applications for industrial operations (5G-SOLUTIONS). Their participation reflects a large industrial company exploring next-generation technologies — green shipping, critical materials independence, and advanced process intensification — that directly affect their core ammonia and chemicals business.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Yara's early H2020 projects (2015–2018) focused on core chemical engineering — 3D-printed catalytic reactors (PRINTCR3DIT) and thermal energy storage materials (NewSOL). From 2018 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward strategic resource security and green transition: rare earth supply chains, ammonia as a shipping fuel, and industrial digitalization via 5G. This trajectory mirrors Yara's corporate pivot toward decarbonization and supply chain resilience.

Yara is moving firmly toward decarbonized ammonia applications and European raw material sovereignty — expect future interest in green hydrogen, maritime decarbonization, and circular economy for critical minerals.

How they like to work

Yara participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — typical for a large industrial company that brings real-world infrastructure, testing facilities, and market access rather than research leadership. With 80 unique partners across 16 countries, they connect broadly rather than deeply, joining different consortia for each project. This suggests they are selective, choosing projects aligned with strategic corporate interests rather than building long-term academic partnerships.

Yara has collaborated with 80 unique partners across 16 countries, reflecting a wide European network. Their consortia span research institutions, SMEs, and industrial players across Scandinavia, Western Europe, and the Mediterranean.

What sets them apart

Yara brings something rare to H2020 consortia: a Fortune 500 industrial company with actual ammonia production, shipping, and distribution infrastructure at global scale. For projects involving ammonia fuel cells, fertilizer decarbonization, or critical mineral supply chains, they are not just a research partner — they are a potential end-user and market validator. Their willingness to invest heavily in strategic projects (EUR 3.5M in SecREEts alone) signals genuine commercial interest, not token participation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SecREEts
  By far Yara's largest H2020 investment (EUR 3.5M, 74% of their total funding), addressing European independence in rare earth elements critical for permanent magnets and clean energy technologies.
• ShipFC
  Directly tied to Yara's core business — piloting ammonia fuel cells for maritime shipping, positioning Yara as a pioneer in zero-emission ocean freight.
• 5G-SOLUTIONS
  Signals Yara's interest in industrial digitalization, testing 5G connectivity for vertical industry applications at scale.