Ammonia Producers Embrace Green Technologies to Slash Emissions
- Ammonia production contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions.
- Green ammonia, produced via sustainable hydrogen, offers a low-carbon alternative.
- Decarbonizing ammonia production is crucial for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
August 05, 2024 | Chemicals
Ammonia is extensively used in the production of agricultural fertilizers and is a key raw material for chemical, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals and textiles industries.
However, the chemical emits a lot of carbon during production – ~450 million tons of direct and ~170 million tons of indirect CO2 emissions annually. Ammonia production process utilizes methane, water and air and contributes to ~1.8% of the global CO2 emissions.
Hence, minimizing carbon dioxide emissions from ammonia manufacturing is crucial for achieving the target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Arrival of Green Ammonia
Ammonia manufacturers are devising new strategies to lower their carbon footprint in production to maintain a competitive edge.
One of the solutions is green or low-carbon ammonia. It’s produced by obtaining hydrogen via a process called water electrolysis. This involves the use of sustainable hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen, wherein the water decomposes into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable sources. The hydrogen is then reacted with atmospheric nitrogen through the Haber-Bosch process (combining these gases at high pressure and temperature with a catalyst to produce green ammonia).
Biological approaches to make ammonia is being tried, because these do not produce harmful byproducts. Biological nitrogen fixation, metabolic engineering of microorganisms, nitrification, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and urea hydrolysis are being explored on a larger scale. These methods are favored for their effectiveness at ambient temperature and pressure, unlike the traditional Haber process.
Additionally, algae-based ammonia production is being implemented through the integration of algae drying, gasification, chemical looping ammonia synthesis, and power generation.
The mission of the Ammonia Energy Association is to decarbonize ammonia for existing applications, including fertilizers, chemicals, and industrial processes.
Additionally, the organization aims to advance the use of low-carbon ammonia in emerging applications, such as direct fuel for power generation and maritime transport, as well as its indirect use as a hydrogen carrier.
Since ammonia can be easily stored in bulk as a liquid at moderate pressures or by being refrigerated to -33°C, its serves as an ideal chemical store for renewable energy. It can also be used as a hydrogen carrier as it can be easily cracked and purified to give hydrogen gas as per requirement.
Initiatives to Decarbonize Ammonia Production
Many R&D initiatives are focused on increasing the use of ammonia as a marine fuel for international shipping, with the potential to replace heavy fuel oil and LNG.
By 2050, the demand for ammonia as a marine fuel is projected to reach 197 million tonnes, comprising 183 million tonnes for international shipping and 15 million tonnes for domestic shipping.
Lastly, green ammonia also has the potential to serve as a fuel in boilers, turbines, or engines for generating heat and electricity, thereby helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Countries and industries worldwide are increasingly investing in research and development to explore new applications, scale up production, and reduce costs associated with green ammonia. These efforts are aimed at facilitating the decarbonization of operations and aligning with the global transition towards greener practices.
- Jupiter Ionics secured a funding of USD 9 million to utilize electrolysis for producing ammonia, aiming for potential zero carbon emissions
- Gentari, the clean energy division of Petronas Malaysia, and AM Green have signed definitive agreements to produce 5 million TPA of green ammonia across various locations in India by 2030
- Acme is set to start producing green ammonia at its planned 900,000-tonne-per-year facility in Oman beginning in 2027. The production process will be powered by solar energy, leveraging Oman’s favorable conditions for renewable energy
- Fortescue, a renewable energy company, is currently developing a green ammonia synthesis plant off the coast of the Nordgulen fjord in western Norway. The facility is designed to have a nominal capacity of 675 tonnes of green ammonia per day
Blue Vs. Green Ammonia
Blue ammonia is yet another type which makes use of natural gas as the feedstock for hydrogen production and incorporates carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to minimize overall emissions. Blue ammonia is gaining traction as an energy carrier worldwide, with Japan leading the way.
Although blue ammonia is being adopted as a low-carbon energy source, its reliance on natural gas compromises its sustainability as a decarbonization strategy compared to green ammonia.
The Way Ahead
Decarbonizing traditional ammonia uses, like fertilizer production, and exploring green ammonia from green hydrogen could reduce greenhouse emissions and drive future demand in new applications. Manufacturers must focus on sustainable production methods to achieve net-zero carbon emissions as the demand for green ammonia is expected to exceed 6 million tons by 2028.
Author: Megha Bakshi
Sources and references:
https://www.iea.org/reports/ammonia-technology-roadmap/executive-summary
https://royalsociety.org/news-resources/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/green-ammonia/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/11/green-ammonia-climate-change-energy-transition/
https://www.iberdrola.com/about-us/our-activity/green-hydrogen/green-ammonia
https://www.kapsom.com/green-solutions/green-ammonia/
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68230697
https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-news-analysis/green-hydrogen-and-green-ammonia
https://www.stamicarbon.com/our-business/stami-green-ammonia
