As we get closer to the 2050 deadline of decarbonizing our economy, research into alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy are increasing. Once again, ammonia (NH3) is in the forefront of this research—and is continuing to prove promising. A study coordinated by the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) investigated three NH3 questions: Under what conditions can NH3 be...
The first portion of research determined that producing NH3 from renewable sources, like solar and wind, is indeed feasible. The article also claims this the only way to make NH3’s carbon footprint zero. Though it is rather expensive right now, upcoming changes to the electricity system related to decarbonization (lower investment cost, increased supply of renewable energy, global increase in CO2 price) will make it more competitive.
The second portion of research concluded that NH3 is best for storage in a renewable-based electricity system. NH3 is able to store energy without the concern of limited materials and space largely due to its caloric nature and ability to be produced simply from splitting water (which in turn combines with nitrogen present in air).
The third portion of research investigated the Nuon Magnum power station, and concluded the potential reduction of CO2-emissions by 3.5 mton/yr with base load producing 10 TWh of electricity. NH3 is effectively a CO2-neutral fuel when it’s cracked into hydrogen and nitrogen prior to the hydrogen combusting in a gas turbine and has an evident impact in large scale application marketing (5-10 years).
“Power-to-ammonia enables both storage and import and has the potential to contribute substantially to CO2 reduction targets, offering flexibility for the electricity system and allowing for an alternative to investments in electricity grid infrastructure.”
- produced using renewable electricity
- used to store electricity?
- used as a CO2-neutral fuel for a power plant?
The first portion of research determined that producing NH3 from renewable sources, like solar and wind, is indeed feasible. The article also claims this the only way to make NH3’s carbon footprint zero. Though it is rather expensive right now, upcoming changes to the electricity system related to decarbonization (lower investment cost, increased supply of renewable energy, global increase in CO2 price) will make it more competitive.
The second portion of research concluded that NH3 is best for storage in a renewable-based electricity system. NH3 is able to store energy without the concern of limited materials and space largely due to its caloric nature and ability to be produced simply from splitting water (which in turn combines with nitrogen present in air).
The third portion of research investigated the Nuon Magnum power station, and concluded the potential reduction of CO2-emissions by 3.5 mton/yr with base load producing 10 TWh of electricity. NH3 is effectively a CO2-neutral fuel when it’s cracked into hydrogen and nitrogen prior to the hydrogen combusting in a gas turbine and has an evident impact in large scale application marketing (5-10 years).
“Power-to-ammonia enables both storage and import and has the potential to contribute substantially to CO2 reduction targets, offering flexibility for the electricity system and allowing for an alternative to investments in electricity grid infrastructure.”
| ispt-p2a-final-report.pdf |
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