The Haber-Bosch method is costly for the mass production of ammonia. The pursuit of a high-efficiency production process combined with the desirable use of renewables has driven the development of alternative methods. Ponikvar et al, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2022, 5, 5, 5457–5472.

For Qatar – a country that aims to diversify its economy, which is highly dependent on hydrocarbon revenues, and to reduce its carbon emission levels – deploying an ammonia economy would enable the country to meet these goals. This study suggests a roadmap to an ammonia economy for Qatar. Al-Breiki & Bicer, Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy Volume 18, 2023 -Issue 1.

High specific energy consumption (SEC) is the main barrier for the expansion of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO). Therefore, the main objective of current SWRO research is to lower the SEC of SWRO plants. Kim et al Applied Energy Volume 254, 15 November 2019.

The Haber–Bosch ammonia synthesis loop can enable a second ammonia revolution as energy vector by replacing the CO2 intensive methane-fed process with hydrogen produced by water splitting using renewable electricity. Colin Smith et all, Journal of energy and Environmental Science, Vol2 2020.

A programme of large-scale experiments for atmospheric dispersion was carried out by INERIS over a period extending from December 1996 to April 1997. Bouet et al, HAL Open Science, 2014.

Wind and solar will provide much of the UK’s future electricity. But to match their volatile supply with demand, which is variable, it’s necessary to store renewable electricity when there is an excess.

IRENA’s global renewable power generation costs study shows that the competitiveness of renewables continued to improve despite rising materials and equipment costs in 2022.

Hydrogen is not directly a greenhouse gas, but its chemical reactions change the abundances of the greenhouse gases methane, ozone, and stratospheric water vapor, as well as aerosols. We estimate a hydrogen GWP100 of 11.6 ± 2.8. Sands et al, Nature Communications Earth & Environment 2023.

SEAVALUE is working on how to extract critical metals from brines while minimising environmental impacts. The aim is to create a process to separate, concentrate, and crystallise molybdenum, magnesium, scandium, vanadium, gallium, boron, indium, lithium, and rubidium in seawater desalination plants.

Large scale production of hydrogen / ammonia in hot, dry countries may use desalinated seawater, causing the creation of waste brines requiring disposal. This review sets out the options, proposes principles of good practice, and explores the possibility of mining valuable elements from salt wastes. Backer et al, Sustainability 2022.

It’s essential to replace aviation fuel with a zero carbon alternative, says Mike Mason. But hydrogen is too difficult, batteries are too heavy, and biofuels would need too much land. Green Ammonia, with about half the energy density of kerosene, is the best available choice.

It’s essential to replace aviation fuel with a zero carbon alternative, says Mike Mason. But hydrogen is too difficult, batteries are too heavy, and biofuels would need too much land. Green Ammonia, with about half the energy density of kerosene, is the best available choice.

Low cost solar will underpin the renewable energy revolution, while Green Ammonia from the lowest cost production areas will make solar power available globally - creating new winners, and losers.

This presentation sets out the advantages of green ammonia as a reserve fuel and globally traded energy vector to ensure grid stability and security of electrical supply in a decarbonised energy world. It also addresses the safety concerns associated with ammonia and proposes solutions.

Hydrogen can be used to accommodate short-term fluctuations in electrical supply and demand, while ammonia can be used to accommodate long-term seasonal fluctuations. A marriage made in green energy heaven !

In this 2021 talk to the Oxford Energy Network, Mike Mason argues the case for Green ammonia - made from sunshine air and water - as a fuel. It has huge benefits over hydrogen: cheap to make in sunny places with the next generation of solar PV; easy to store; easy to transport across the globe; safe; and useable as it is; or readily convertible to hydrogen.

Cross-border trading of hydrogen will increase in the 2030s, at pace with the cost-competitiveness of green hydrogen. IRENA envisages that two-thirds of green hydrogen production in 2050 would be used locally, and one-third traded across borders. Ammonia is the most promising vector for hydrogen transport via ship. Half of 410mn t of hydrogen is expected to be moved as ammonia by 2050.

MILP model to optimise the production cost of green ammonia in Australia. Costs are economically justified based on buying and selling electricity from the grid. A grid connection can reduce the minimum Levelised Cost of Ammonia (LCOA) by almost 11%.

Key messages include:

• The sector’s decarbonisation strategy must involve a combination of energy efficiency and renewable fuels.

• Renewable e-ammonia will play a pivotal role; where 183 million tonnes of renewable ammonia for international shipping alone will be needed by 2050 - a comparable amount to today’s ammonia global production.

• In the next decades renewable fuels will become cost competitive

Towards more sustainable nitrogen fertiliser production. Scenario analysis to explore three possible futures for ammonia production. The Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario describes a trajectory for the ammonia industry that is compatible with reaching net zero emissions globally for the energy system by 2050.