Zero-emission shipping: researchers and companies want to develop green ammonia technology

The CAMPFIRE alli­ance was selected by a jury of experts as one of 20 inno­va­tive initia­tives in eastern Germany that will imple­ment stra­tegic inno­va­tion concepts and develop new fields of tech­no­logy over the next five years. As part of the pilot programme WIR! – Wandel durch Inno­va­tion in der Region, the German federal govern­ment is provi­ding initial funding support of up to €8 million for the project. CAMPFIRE is rese­ar­ching the decen­tra­lised produc­tion of green ammonia from rene­wable energy. The basic buil­ding blocks of the new process are ceramic thin-film membranes, which are highly effi­cient and durable.

Greifs­wald, 21 March 2019. ‘We are delighted that the jury has chosen our concept. We have worked on the concept inten­si­vely for over seven months, which has allowed us to create a broad know­ledge alli­ance,’ said project manager Dr Angela Kruth of the Leibniz Insti­tute for Plasma Rese­arch and Tech­no­logy (INP) in Greifs­wald. CAMPFIRE now has 31 part­ners, almost two thirds of which are compa­nies. The deve­lo­p­ment of the concept was coor­di­nated by INP, the Insti­tute for Climate Protec­tion, Energy and Mobi­lity (IKEM) and Stral­sund Univer­sity of Applied Sciences (HOST). The alli­ance also received important support from its external part­ners, the Zentrum für Brenn­stoff­technik (ZBT) and the Institut für Kompe­tenz in der Auto­mobilität (IKAM). The aim of the alli­ance is to estab­lish a new, promi­sing branch of industry in the project region of Northeast Germany by deve­lo­ping inno­va­tive energy tech­no­lo­gies and linking the local energy sector with the mari­time and chemical indus­tries. The project region extends from Rostock to Szczecin, Poland.

The region has had the neces­sary know-how for many years. The CAMPFIRE alli­ance is brin­ging this exper­tise toge­ther for the first time to a new tech­no­lo­gical approach: the Northeast is home to successful compa­nies in specialty ship­buil­ding and energy produc­tion, as well as large ship­ping compa­nies and ferti­liser produ­cers. The parti­ci­pa­ting scien­tific insti­tu­tions are rese­ar­ching topics inclu­ding nano­tech­no­lo­gies and fuel cells for the energy sector.

CO₂ price helps climate-friendly technologies

The inno­va­tion concept focuses on the decen­tra­lised produc­tion of green ammonia from air and water using energy from wind and solar power plants. Ceramic thin-film membranes, which are highly effi­cient and durable, are the basic buil­ding blocks of this new process. This makes produc­tion processes econo­mic­ally feasible for the first time. However, the deve­lo­p­ment of these mate­rials still lies ahead – one of the first CAMPFIRE rese­arch projects. In parallel, CAMPFIRE experts are working on studies that consider the tech­no­lo­gical and economic factors involved in the sustainable produc­tion of ammonia and its use as fuel. Legal frame­work condi­tions must also be adapted and complex appr­oval proce­dures prepared. The alli­ance is also promo­ting the deve­lo­p­ment of a sustainable policy frame­work that creates the economic condi­tions for the project. ‘What is needed is a reali­stic CO₂ price that also reflects long-term climate costs. Instead of subsi­di­sing fossil fuels, climate-neutral fuels must become econo­mical. An appro­priate CO₂ price helps here,’ says Simon Schäfer-Stra­dowsky, mana­ging director of IKEM. The higher the price, the faster the tran­si­tion to new technologies.

Green ammonia for sustainable ship propul­sion and fertiliser

The history of ammonia produc­tion dates back 150 years. The combi­na­tion of nitrogen and hydrogen is one of the most frequently produced chemi­cals and a raw mate­rial used in ferti­li­sers and other products. However, it is ammonia’s other important proper­ties that are now taking centre stage: the compound is an excel­lent carbon-free energy storage medium, can be lique­fied easily and has a high energy density. This makes green ammonia valuable for use in the zero-emis­sion propul­sion systems that will be deve­loped for ship­ping in the coming years. It can also be used to produce sustainable ferti­liser, which helps to secure global food produc­tion, and can be fed into statio­nary energy supply systems. ‘The new ammonia tech­no­lo­gies are a crucial step in maste­ring future social chal­lenges,’ says Kruth. Another goal, she says, is to export the high-tech solu­tions that are emer­ging in Northeast Germany to other areas around the world.

 

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CAMP­FIRE-Spre­cherin:
Dr. Angela Kruth
Leibniz-Institut für Plas­ma­for­schung und Tech­no­logy e.V. (INP)
Felix-Haus­dorff-Straße 2 | D‑17489 Greifswald
Tel. +49 (0)3834 554 3860

Pres­se­kon­takt:
Char­lotte Giese
Leibniz-Institut für Plas­ma­for­schung und Tech­no­logy e.V. (INP)
Felix-Haus­dorff-Straße 2 | D‑17489 Greifswald
Tel. +49 (0) 3834 554 3897