Technology

Many countries lack the infrastructure to produce, store, and distribute clean hydrogen

Hydrogen once produced faces challenges in storage and distribution

Ammonia transportation and storage technologies are mature, widespread, and extensive

Clean and even green ammonia can be produced from clean or green hydrogen feedstocks 

What if you could directly process ammonia into a fuel cell?

As the world targets Net Zero 2050, green energy from renewable-rich regions must reach areas lacking these resources. Ammonia is crucial for global decarbonization, with over 200 million tonnes produced annually and projections of ammonia production to reach over 600 million tonnes to meet future demands for zero carbon fuel.

Ammonia fuel cells, particularly solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), represent a promising technology for converting ammonia directly into electricity and heat. This technology leverages ammonia's properties as a hydrogen carrier, enabling efficient and low-emission energy conversion without the need for costly external ammonia cracking.

IRENA/IEA sources for ammonia production (~240 metric million tonne 2023)  and projections

•High Efficiency: Direct ammonia SOFCs (DASOFCs) can achieve electrical efficiencies of 50-60%.

•Carbon-Free Fuel: Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel, with only water and nitrogen as a byproduct of ammonia conversion via fuel cell.

•Established Infrastructure: Ammonia has well-established storage, handling, and transportation infrastructure, facilitating its adoption as a fuel."

Ammonia Cracking:  In DASOFCs, ammonia is cracked into nitrogen and hydrogen through an endothermic reaction within the anode chamber at high temperatures (700-800°C). This process eliminates the need for external ammonia cracking units that add cost and compexity. At the anode hydrogen reacts with oxide anions from air decomposed on the cathode side to form water and electricity, exhausting only nitrogen and water as electricity is produced.