Chemists Chase ‘Clean’ Ammonia to Replace Shipping Fuel

image via New Scientist

May 19, 2024, 1:00 PM

• •Ammonia production is a carbon-intensive process that uses fossil fuels to make the pungent-smelling chemical, which is often used to make fertilizers.
• •A Danish company named Topsoe is planning to build a factory in Virginia that will produce electrolyzers, a device that can make clean hydrogen when powered by solar or wind energy.
• •The company estimates that a third of global ammonia is made using its technologies. Nearly all of that was traditionally done by using fossil fuels.

Ammonia production is a carbon-intensive process that uses fossil fuels to make the pungent-smelling chemical, which is often used to make fertilizers. But some companies think it could also as a carbon-free fuel for cargo ships or to generate electricity. Its climate stakes are massive. But so is its potential for clean energy — because it doesn't release any carbon emissions at the point of use.

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