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Biomass Based Sustainable Ammonia Production

The renewable ammonia production is gaining attention nowadays. Current production processes use as raw material, predominantly, natural gas or coal. Therefore, large amounts of greenhouse carbon dioxide are released in the production process. Different alternatives for a sustainable path to produce ammonia have been analysed. One alternative is producing hydrogen through electrolysis, nitrogen by air separation and then produce ammonia via Haber Bosch process (Sánchez & Martín, 2018). An interesting feature of this process is the possibility of integrating renewable energy sources in the ammonia production. Another technology is the electrochemical ammonia production (Bicer & Dincer, 2017). The ammonia synthesis…

Article

Importance of Public Perception towards an Ammonia Economy

During development of the technical aspects of any energy project, a social perspective needs to be considered. Public opinion is going to be a fundamental parameter to determine the role of renewables in the future, with decarbonisation meaning innovation towards a comprehensive plan that involves not only technology but also psychology and how these two can benefit from each other. Due to the importance of understanding public perception of ammonia, Cardiff University conducted a study focused on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, which currently presents high revenues in agriculture and depends on ammonia as a fertiliser. An analysis of stakeholder’s perception of ammonia was carried out to understand the different barriers and drivers of each established group.

Article

Process Superstructures and the Production of Cost-Advantaged Ammonia

At the 2017 NH3 Energy+ Conference, graduate student Doga Demirhan reported on an ongoing investigation at the Energy Institute at Texas A&M University. The work involved evaluation of options for an ammonia production system and concluded that biomass could be an economically viable feedstock under current, real-world conditions. This is a notable outcome. Just as notable is how it was reached.

Article

Comparative studies of ammonia production, combining renewable hydrogen with Haber-Bosch

In recent months, research teams from both Canada and Italy have published comparative analyses of sustainable ammonia production pathways. These projects aim to quantify the costs and benefits of combining Haber-Bosch with a renewable hydrogen feedstock. Both projects examine the carbon intensity of ammonia production but, while the Canadian study broadens its remit to a full life cycle analysis, including global warming potential, human toxicity, and abiotic depletion, the Italian study focuses primarily on energy efficiency.

Article

Carbon Pricing and the Economics of Green Ammonia

The United States Senate is expected to open confirmation hearings for Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson on January 11. Tillerson, newly retired from Exxon Mobil, became the chief executive officer of that company in 2006. He has attracted many labels since his nomination was announced, but “climate denier” is not among them.

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Production of Ammonia and Nitrogen Fertilizers based on Biomass – Research Efforts in Sweden

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have been conducting research on production of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers based on bioenergy since 2006, in the last years in co-operation with Lund University and University of Minnesota. The research has so far been theoretical — studying the techno-economics and the potential environmental impacts. Several possible pathways for ammonia and ammonium nitrate fertilizer production have been explored, e.g. gasification of woody biomass, reforming of biogas from anaerobic digestion, integration in biomass CHP plants. A selection of results from the past years research can be presented: Techno-Economic Assessment of Non-Fossil Ammonia Production P. Tunå,…