Ammonia as carbon-free energy vector - from green ammonia production to technoeconomic analysis

The energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies is an important step in the progression towards a more
sustainable future but one that is hindered by the mismatch between energy demand and supply. This problem is
exacerbated by the intermittent nature of renewable energies which introduce an element of inflexibility to the electric grid
that can only be overcome with energy storage methods. Whilst battery storage displays high round trip efficiency, its
applicability diminishes over longer storage times in comparison to chemical energy storage. Hydrogen is one such
popular energy vector with many countries transitioning towards a hydrogen economy with hydrogen as the 'fuel of the
future'. However, one of the largest challenges for the introduction of a hydrogen economy are the high costs required for
hydrogen storage as well as the flammable nature of hydrogen gas. Hence, it may be more advantageous to utilise a
hydrogen-enriched compound for transportation and storage purposes instead of hydrogen gas. The only carbon-free
hydrogen carrier that can be sustainably produced for this purpose is ammonia. It possesses a greater volumetric energy
density than hydrogen and can be stored as a liquid under milder conditions than hydrogen which make it extremely
viable for long-term energy storage over several months. This research project will investigate the entire sustainable
ammonia energy cycle from the initial synthesis stages to the final energy delivery stages.