Fortescue Future Industries and German-based polymer manufacturer Covestro have entered into a long-term agreement for the supply of green hydrogen and derivatives, particularly green ammonia. Up to 100,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen will be delivered to Covestro locations in Asia, Europe and North America, possibly commencing in 2024.
Monolith and Goodyear Tire & Rubber (the only US-headquartered tire manufacturer) will cooperate on the potential use of carbon black byproduct from its Olive Creek ammonia plant in Hallam, Nebraska. In relevant news, a $1.04 billion, Title XVII loan from the US Department of Energy has secured Monolith's expansion plans for Olive Creek, which will see it become the largest producer of carbon black in the US by 2025.
This week we explore four updates in ammonia combustion R&D:
1. A team from the University of Cambridge has shown merchant vessels are the strongest candidates for conversion to run on ammonia powertrains, with cargo capacity losses of 4-9% able to be feasibly offset by operators.
2. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have successfully tested a thermochemical recuperation (TCR) reactor to improve the efficiency of a dual-fuel, diesel-ammonia compression ignition engine by minimising ammonia slip.
3. A global team led by Cardiff University researchers has revealed some of the inner workings of ammonia combustion in gas turbine flames.
4. A global team has produced a cradle-to-gate environmental assessment for ammonia production and ammonia-based electricity generation, suggesting that renewable and nuclear ammonia have a significant role to play in decarbonising the power sector.
