LINCOLN, NE / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2021 / Hydrogen and ammonia are both essential substances for a wide range of applications. Unfortunately, producing these substances requires processes that are far from eco-friendly. This has led to an increased focus on the ability to produce both Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia. Thankfully, the future of producing these two substances in ways that are far more kind to the environment is finally looking bright. To better understand what it will take to make Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia a reality, let's take a look at what Industry Expert and Senior Executive and Consultant in the agriculture industry Shawn Rana has to say about these two highly important substances.
The Problem With Producing Hydrogen and Ammonia the Traditional Way
Hydrogen and Ammonia are traditionally produced using natural gas in Steam Methane Reforming (SMR). This process takes methane gas and breaks it down into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. And therein lies the problem. The CO2 produced by this process is in the range of 11 pounds of CO2 for each pound of hydrogen. The ratio for ammonia is almost as bad at 2 pounds of CO2 for each pound of ammonia produced. These numbers are reflected in the GREET model. It should be noted that hydrogen is required to produce ammonia, and ammonia is not only fertilizer but is also an excellent hydrogen carrier. For this reason, Shawn Rana points out that the production of hydrogen and ammonia is essential yet unfortunately releases carbon dioxide to the global environment.
A Shift Taking Place
As we have all heard and know, water can be broken into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. The hydrogen is the same as is produced by Steam Methane Reforming, and the process is more simple than the SMR. Best of all, Shawn Rana notes that producing hydrogen in this manner leads to zero CO2 production in the process. If taken one step further such that the electrical source used in this process is renewable, the entire life cycle of hydrogen production will be zero carbon.
The hydrogen and ammonia produced from water hydrolysis are now considered Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia IF they are made using renewable electricity. You will hear the words Blue and even Turquoise hydrogen and ammonia, and, although these are a step in the right direction, don't be misled. Shawn Rana says that nothing replaces Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia - which is truly the ONLY way to produce Zero Carbon hydrogen and ammonia.
Keys to Success
As we all know, the cost of a product has a huge influence on users adapting to it. Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia (GHGA) are no different. The technology is ripe but the key input - the electricity required to produce them - is the major hurdle to overcome.
According to Shawn Rana, it's not the availability of electricity that is the problem, it's the COST of the electrons. The electrical utility industry has not yet recognized that they will need a new pricing business model if we all want to see a Green Energy economy. And Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia are the foundation of this economy. Simply put, that's the key to success. Tax rebates and other government incentives will also go a long way to offset the higher cost of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia, but those could take a long time unless politicians get moving (call your Congress member) and get this done.
It is the electrical utility industry, therefore, where a paradigm shift really needs to take place. Industry leaders need to come to the realization that having all of those wind turbines and solar farms is useless unless they can be utilized to their maximum potential - and GHGA is an easy way to capture those renewable electrons and store them for use when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. In other words, the current "one size fits all" electrical distribution and pricing model needs to be updated to account for GHGA producers. That's when we will see a real move toward making Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia a reality.
CONTACT:
Caroline Hunter
Web Presence, LLC
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SOURCE: Shawn Rana