AMMONIA marine fuel could provide a way to store energy needed for long voyages, for global shipping, reports the mit Technology Review of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The American Bureau of Shipping, which sets safety standards for global shipping, recently granted early-stage approval for some ammonia-powered ships and fueling infrastructure, including a design from Samsung Heavy Industries, one of the world's largest shipbuilders, said the MIT report.
While the fuel would require new engines and new fueling systems, swapping it in for fossil fuels that ships burn today could help make a significant dent in global carbon emissions.
And some companies are looking even further into the future, with New York-based Amogy raising nearly US$50 million earlier this year to use the chemical for fuel cells that promise even greater emissions cuts, said the report.
Ammonia is attractive because of its high energy density - the amount of energy that can be packed into a certain volume. While it is usually found as a gas, it can be squeezed at relatively low pressures into an easily transportable liquid, it said.
Ammonia is a familiar chemical for shipping companies. Globally, about 200 million tons of it are produced annually, and about three-quarters of that goes to producing fertiliser. Many ports already have some form of ammonia storage for shipping.
The chemical, however, comes with challenges. Burning ammonia as a fuel can create nitrogen oxides (NOx). These compounds are greenhouse gases that can also harm human and animal health, said Madeline Rose, climate campaign director at Pacific Environment, an environmental organisation.
But if ships used ammonia for fuel cells instead, the problem of creating NOx pollution could be avoided, said the MIT researchers.
'Cheap renewables could make green hydrogen a practical replacement for fossil fuelsHydrogen made using electricity generated from wind or solar power could provide a clean and carbon-neutral source of energy. Europe is leading the way,' said the report.
A fuel cell ship could contain ammonia storage tanks, along with a reactor where ammonia would be broken down to form nitrogen and hydrogen. The hydrogen would then be shuttled to the fuel cell, where it would combine with oxygen to produce water and the electricity used to power the ship.
SeaNews Turkey
The American Bureau of Shipping, which sets safety standards for global shipping, recently granted early-stage approval for some ammonia-powered ships and fueling infrastructure, including a design from Samsung Heavy Industries, one of the world's largest shipbuilders, said the MIT report.
While the fuel would require new engines and new fueling systems, swapping it in for fossil fuels that ships burn today could help make a significant dent in global carbon emissions.
And some companies are looking even further into the future, with New York-based Amogy raising nearly US$50 million earlier this year to use the chemical for fuel cells that promise even greater emissions cuts, said the report.
Ammonia is attractive because of its high energy density - the amount of energy that can be packed into a certain volume. While it is usually found as a gas, it can be squeezed at relatively low pressures into an easily transportable liquid, it said.
Ammonia is a familiar chemical for shipping companies. Globally, about 200 million tons of it are produced annually, and about three-quarters of that goes to producing fertiliser. Many ports already have some form of ammonia storage for shipping.
The chemical, however, comes with challenges. Burning ammonia as a fuel can create nitrogen oxides (NOx). These compounds are greenhouse gases that can also harm human and animal health, said Madeline Rose, climate campaign director at Pacific Environment, an environmental organisation.
But if ships used ammonia for fuel cells instead, the problem of creating NOx pollution could be avoided, said the MIT researchers.
'Cheap renewables could make green hydrogen a practical replacement for fossil fuelsHydrogen made using electricity generated from wind or solar power could provide a clean and carbon-neutral source of energy. Europe is leading the way,' said the report.
A fuel cell ship could contain ammonia storage tanks, along with a reactor where ammonia would be broken down to form nitrogen and hydrogen. The hydrogen would then be shuttled to the fuel cell, where it would combine with oxygen to produce water and the electricity used to power the ship.
SeaNews Turkey
