Ammonia’s Role in the Hydrogen Society

Abstract

By the start of the 2020s, it had become clear that a number of hydrogen-rich fuels would power the hydrogen society, not just elemental hydrogen itself. Ammonia stands out among the alternatives because, like hydrogen, it is an entirely carbon-free molecule. The fact that hydrogen and ammonia have emerged as the only two carbon-free molecules with mainstream recognition inevitably casts them as rivals who will compete for adoption by developers of sustainable energy systems. The relative importance that each achieves will be determined by the accelerating flow of decisions being made by actors in business, governmental, and institutional settings. For those with an interest in the energy economy of the future, it can be instructive to see the decision-making dynamic at play in real-world settings. This chapter presents three case studies in which hydrogen and ammonia are both seen as leading fuel options. In the first, involving fuel cell vehicles, it appears that hydrogen has locked up the dominant role, largely by virtue of its multi-decade head start on ammonia. In the second, involving utility-scale combustion turbines, current indications are that the two fuels will each secure substantial shares of the market. Selection is likely to occur on a site-by-site basis, based on project-specific considerations. In the third, involving maritime shipping, all current signs suggest that ammonia applications will far outstrip those of hydrogen. This outcome is based on the ammonia’s superior fit with the design requirements and constraints of maritime fuel systems.