In 2018, a pilot plant in Japan will demonstrate a new way to produce ammonia at industrial-scale, with a low carbon footprint.

This is part of Japan’s ‘Energy Carriers’ R&D initiative, which aims to develop technologies to enable the nation’s transition to a carbon-free hydrogen economy.

The scope of the program covers ten subjects that encompass the full “CO2-free hydrogen value chain.” Three of these ten programs describe a technology pathway for making low-carbon ammonia, which can be used for energy storage and distribution.

Their aims are to:

1. develop a high-temperature solar thermal energy supply;
2. produce hydrogen from the solar heat, using either a Membrane Iodine-Sulfur Process or a new Steam Electrolysis system;
3. develop a more efficient, low-temperature ammonia synthesis process using this CO2-free hydrogen.

Read the full article at our sister publication, Ammonia Industry: Low-carbon ammonia synthesis: Japan’s ‘Energy Carriers’ R&D