Green Ammonia
- Fuel of the Future ?
Ammonia, made from air, water and renewable electricity, is the Green fuel that could enable the world’s complete transition from fossil fuels to clean, zero carbon energy.
As a versatile, energy dense fuel that can be stored, shipped and used as and when needed, Green ammonia is a great way to store up energy from wind and sunshine.
We can use it directly to make Green fertiliser, bringing an end to a fossil fuel powered industry that’s responsible for some 5% of global CO2 emissions, and to power ships, trains, planes, fishing fleets, mining equipment, steel making, industrial kilns and boilers, and a host of other large scale uses.
Renewables, like solar, wind and hydro, are already generating the world’s lowest cost electricity. But for them to completely displace fossil energy we need to build new renewables-based energy systems that (like fossil fuels) offer certainty of supply on demand, where and when needed - even when the wind’s not blowing and the sun’s not shining.
Green ammonia is the clean, green fuel that can make that happen.
Ammonia Safety
All fuels are potentially dangerous, and ammonia is no exception. However it has a number of safety-positive features. Ammonia:
is surprisingly hard to ignite, and has a low flame speed, greatly reducing the risk of fire or explosion;
has a strong, pungent odour even at very low concentrations, making it easy to detect and avoid if accidentally released;
has a high specific heat capacity, and a high latent energy of vaporisation, making it very slow to heat up and evaporate from cold;
is about 40% lighter than air, and will therefore tend to rise out of harm’s way if accidentally released;
has been stored and transported as a pressurised liquid for over a hundred years with few serious accidents.
Ammonia’s main hazard is its toxicity, particularly when inhaled. This means that if it’s to become a widely used fuel, it’s essential to develop even safer ways to store and transport it that are resilient to accidents and human error. Cooling liquid ammonia to low temperatures well below its boiling point (-33.3C) is a promising approach to improving its safety, but rigorous testing will be needed.
Can Green Ammonia enable a zero-carbon economy?
Yes. And the way to achieving that is clear. But to make it happen we need to
win public understanding and support
engage political, financial and industrial decision makers
catalyse carefully targeted research and investment.
The Green Ammonia Working Group is here to help make that happen.
Green Ammonia
Working Group
We’re a non-profit network of experts aiming to catalyse faster research, development and policy change to enable Green ammonia to take its place in a sustainable energy system.