The advance of efficient and economical energy carrier technology is an important challenge in terms of storage and transport of hydrogen fuels produced from renewable energy. Ammonia is a promising candidate of energy carrier because of high energy density and easy liquefaction as well as a carbon-free fuel.1 Electrochemical synthesis has a potential for an efficient ammonia production in comparison with the industrial Haber–Bosch process. In our previous study, we observed the improvement of electrochemical synthesis of ammonia using iron-based electrode catalyst such as K-Al-Fe-BaCe0.9Y0.1O3 (BCY).2 In the study, basically, H2 decomposition occurs to form protons in the anode side,…

Two recent announcements show that the race is still very much on among the energy carriers that until recently were a focus of the Japanese Cabinet Office’s Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP).  During its five-year career, the SIP Energy Carriers initiative promoted the development of liquid hydrogen (LH2), liquid organic hydrides (LOH), and ammonia as technologies that could animate a hydrogen supply chain spanning continents and oceans.  The announcements regarding LH2 and methyl cyclohexane (MCH -- the main Energy Carriers focus in the LOH area) show that the conclusion of the Energy Carriers work at the end March does not mean the conclusion of work on these two rivals to ammonia energy.

Recent “On the Ground in Japan” posts have considered the path forward for Japan’s “Hydrogen Society.”  Two weeks ago, a post entitled “FCV Uptake and Hydrogen Fueling Stations,” pointed to a lack of marketplace momentum for the products that are supposed to drive the hydrogen society forward in the near term.  The uptake of fuel-cell vehicles is off to a very slow start and the construction of hydrogen fueling stations is “not proceeding.” The same day the post appeared, the Japanese market research firm Fuji Keizai announced the release of a report projecting robust growth for the country’s hydrogen economy.  As reported by the on-line news service Smart Japan, the market for selected hydrogen-related goods will start to hit its stride with the arrival of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.  At that time, Fuji Keizai projects the market will have a value of approximately ¥700 billion ($6.4 billion).  By 2030, the report says, the market will have a value of ¥5,903 billion ($54 billion). This is good news for hydrogen proponents but its import for ammonia energy is not clear.