Storage and Distribution of Low Carbon Ammonia as an Economical Hydrogen Carrier to Decarbonise the Cement Industry
Lead Participant:
STOPFORD LIMITED
Abstract
The UK's net zero strategy for decarbonisation requires all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050\. The UK concrete and cement industry produced 7.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2018 and currently accounts for around 1.5% of the UK's CO2 emissions \[1\].
Fuel switching to low-carbon fuels in this sector could potentially reduce emissions by 16% \[1\]. The cement industry has made significant progress with fuel switching to hydrogen, with previous studies demonstrating technical feasibility. However, the storage and transportation of hydrogen is technically challenging, and hydrogen fuel costs are prohibitive.
This project will assess the use of ammonia as a low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen carrier, evaluating the most economical method of on-site ammonia cracking to generate hydrogen for use in kilns in the cement industry.
The innovation lies in using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier with novel local autothermal cracking of ammonia into a hydrogen fuel for use in cement manufacturing. This technically and commercially innovative approach has the potential to make hydrogen use on dispersed (not located within proposed hydrogen hubs or industrial clusters) sites economically viable.
Ammonia has been selected as a hydrogen carrier due to its high volumetric energy density, making it easier and cheaper to store and transport than hydrogen. The volumetric hydrogen density of ammonia is 45% higher than that of liquid hydrogen.
The project will also investigate the various tiers of the UK's existing ammonia supply chain network for the suitable transportation, offloading and storage of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in meeting the cement industry's needs.
Ammonia is rapidly being considered the most promising long-term molecule for global energy markets, but few feasibility studies have assessed whole supply chain viability. If this is economically feasible one of the project partners, Hanson Cement, will adopt the scheme to supply hydrogen to their cement kilns, helping decarbonise the UK cement industry and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen by other UK industries.
\[1\] Mineral Products Association: UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to beyond Net Zero. 2020
Fuel switching to low-carbon fuels in this sector could potentially reduce emissions by 16% \[1\]. The cement industry has made significant progress with fuel switching to hydrogen, with previous studies demonstrating technical feasibility. However, the storage and transportation of hydrogen is technically challenging, and hydrogen fuel costs are prohibitive.
This project will assess the use of ammonia as a low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen carrier, evaluating the most economical method of on-site ammonia cracking to generate hydrogen for use in kilns in the cement industry.
The innovation lies in using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier with novel local autothermal cracking of ammonia into a hydrogen fuel for use in cement manufacturing. This technically and commercially innovative approach has the potential to make hydrogen use on dispersed (not located within proposed hydrogen hubs or industrial clusters) sites economically viable.
Ammonia has been selected as a hydrogen carrier due to its high volumetric energy density, making it easier and cheaper to store and transport than hydrogen. The volumetric hydrogen density of ammonia is 45% higher than that of liquid hydrogen.
The project will also investigate the various tiers of the UK's existing ammonia supply chain network for the suitable transportation, offloading and storage of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in meeting the cement industry's needs.
Ammonia is rapidly being considered the most promising long-term molecule for global energy markets, but few feasibility studies have assessed whole supply chain viability. If this is economically feasible one of the project partners, Hanson Cement, will adopt the scheme to supply hydrogen to their cement kilns, helping decarbonise the UK cement industry and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen by other UK industries.
\[1\] Mineral Products Association: UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to beyond Net Zero. 2020
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| STOPFORD LIMITED | £290,431 | £ 203,302 |
Participant |
||
| CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY | £76,113 | £ 76,113 |
| HANSON QUARRY PRODUCTS EUROPE LIMITED | £71,992 | £ 35,996 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Suraya Abdul (Project Manager) |