A new prototype facility to produce green ammonia using renewable electricity has been powered up, marking a major step forward for the UK’s clean energy landscape.
A new process allows previously unused energy to be stored in green ammonia as hydrogen molecules. The hydrogen can be extracted later and used to generate electricity at a more convenient time.
Developed by engineers from the Energy Research Unit of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the plant is an innovative demonstration of a technology capable of flexible production of green ammonia and hydrogen storage for future extraction.
The green ammonia plant, known as the ASPIRE project, was funded as part of a £1 billion net zero innovation portfolio. It aims to fund low-carbon technologies and systems, reduce the cost of decarbonisation and end the UK’s contribution to climate change.
Can green ammonia compete commercially with fossil fuels?
This new technology facilitates green ammonia synthesis from untapped wind energy through a flexible approach that adjusts ammonia production to the fluctuating availability and cost of renewable energy supplies.
Data collected from operating plants will be critical to future scale-up efforts, ultimately allowing green ammonia to compete commercially with traditional fossil fuel-based production.
The development comes at a critical time, with the UK investing £1.1bn in offshore wind to build a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030, and as part of the UK’s wider commitment to reduce emissions by 81% by 2035.
ASPIRE and conventional ammonia production
Through these applications, green ammonia has the potential to significantly mitigate climate change and reduce global CO2 emissions by 10-15%.
ASPIRE also offers significant advantages over traditional ammonia production methods, including:
90% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional ‘grey’ ammonia production 70% reduction in carbon emissions from ‘blue’ ammonia production Scalable technology that can run directly from renewable sources Ideal for integration with the UK’s growing renewable energy infrastructure Harnesses low cost electricity during periods of renewable energy surplus Avoids carbon emissions penalties Not affected by volatile gas prices that affect traditional ammonia production
Harnessing untapped wind power to address energy storage challenges
In 2024, around a tenth of all wind power in the UK will be generated but unused, highlighting opportunities for innovative energy storage solutions.
Grid infrastructure continues to evolve to match the pace of wind power expansion, giving practical consideration to moving electricity from power plants to areas of high demand, such as in Scotland.
In addition, periods of low electricity demand during periods of high wind production and current limited energy storage options all contribute to the challenge.
In addition to harnessing untapped wind energy to address energy efficiency, green ammonia plants offer a versatile solution with the potential to:
Decarbonize transportation and fertilizer production Provide grid resiliency by converting this stored ammonia into electricity during times of peak demand or low energy supply Ammonia cracking provides low-carbon hydrogen for fuel
Tristan Davenne, Principal Engineer of the STFC Energy Research Unit and ASPIRE project leader, explains:
“ASPIRE is not just a technical achievement, but a practical solution that can transform untapped wind energy from a challenge to a valuable resource.
“The data collected from this operating plant will be invaluable as we work to scale up this technology to make green ammonia competitive with fossil fuel-based production.”
Source link
