Alkaline electrolyzers will play a significant role in renewable ammonia production going forward. Historical developments in electrocatalysts and optimized stack design have already addressed some of the key bottlenecks in the technology, and new developments will enable flexible operations at higher pressures.
Recent PEM technology developments have centered around two issues: i) the relative scarcity of Iridium, and ii) the membrane thickness, limiting the efficiency of the PEM electrolyzer. This week we explore new approaches to both, including work by precious metal company Heraeus, and Norwegian start-up HyStar.
Our June episode of Ammonia Project Features focused on a new project in Niigata prefecture, which will demonstrate low-carbon, fossil-based ammonia production with a capacity of 500 tonnes per year. As part of the project, Japanese government organization JOGMEC will work with INPEX to develop enhanced gas recovery & CO2 sequestration monitoring technologies. Tsubame BHB will deploy its low-temperature, low-pressure ammonia synthesis technology based on an electride-supported catalyst developed at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Meet JOGMEC and Tsubame BHB to explore a new CCS-based ammonia production project in Japan, utilising enhanced gas recovery (EGR) for CCS, as well as Tsubame’s alternative technology to Haber-Bosch for ammonia synthesis.
To design, build & operate a hydroelectric ammonia production plant fed by electrolytic hydrogen, what considerations need to be taken into account? Our recent episode of Ammonia Project Features explored this question, focusing on an upcoming project being developed in Paraguay by ATOME, URBAS and Casale. The use of surplus hydropower, existing industrial infrastructure, proactive engineering and commercially-available, flexible ammonia synthesis technologies all adds up to a less challenging task for developers, and a potential project template going forward.
In cracking technology updates this week: