Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden conducted a study where researchers carried out life cycle analyses for batteries and for three electrofuels including ammonia.
According to the researchers, eutrophication and acidification are some of the environmental problems that can be traced to the use of ammonia – as well as emissions of laughing gas, which is a very potent greenhouse gas. Moreover, the new study shows that an eagerness to rid the shipping sector of carbon emissions, by using ammonia, might create entirely new problems instead.
Ammonia (NH3) is a carbon-free fuel and has the advantage of a higher energy density than, for example, hydrogen. It can also be liquefied fairly easily although it is a gas at standard conditions. However, a significant disadvantage is that the production of electro-ammonia – which requires electricity – is very energy intensive.
Although ammonia is carbon-free, its combustion in engines is not free from greenhouse gas emissions. Engine tests have shown varying degrees of emissions of laughing gas, which is a very potent greenhouse gas with more than 200 times the global warming impact than carbon dioxide.
… said Selma Brynolf, Chalmers researcher and co-author of the paper
“There is simply a lack of deeper risk analyses of what a switch to ammonia could mean”, says Fayas Malik Kanchiralla, PhD student at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences at Chalmers and lead author of the paper.
The alternative with the lowest cost is environmentally problematic
The researchers used life cycle assessment and life cycle cost to evaluate technical viability, environmental impacts, and economic feasibility for four types of renewable energy carriers, for three different types of ships. The energy carriers examined included electricity via batteries, and three electrofuels: hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia.
The energy carriers were in turn used in combination with both engines and fuel cells. The study shows that ammonia and methanol have the lowest cost of the alternatives studied.
Ammonia comes with a set of environmental disadvantages. Its use as a fuel can affect air and water quality due to ammonia leakage and emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), such as laughing gas (N2O). Fayas Malik Kanchiralla and his colleagues stress the importance of controlling this for ships operating in areas with emission controls, for example a sensitive marine area such as the Baltic Sea.
What are electrofuels?
Electrofuels are synthetic fuels that are produced with electricity, in a process where energy-rich molecules are made from other molecules. These fuels are defined as ‘green’ when they are produced with renewable electricity. But the study shows that all three green electrofuels have a higher environmental impact than traditional fuels in terms of human toxicity, use of resources such as minerals and metals, and water use.
Eutrophication and acidification are some of the risks
The use of ammonia is associated with substantial toxicity challenges and risks, which are manageable, but would increase the complexity of the safety systems required. This would potentially limit the use of the fuel to only deep-sea cargo ships.
Among the environmental problems that can be traced to use of ammonia are eutrophication and acidification. To sum up; even though green ammonia is a fossil-free and relatively clean fuel, it is probably not green enough for the environment as a whole.
… explained Fayas Malik Kanchiralla
The study also shows that it is very difficult to find a simple non-fossil fuel solution that both works for all types of ships and is able to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in shipping. Assessing the environmental and economic aspects of different fuel options for the shipping sector is complex, and several factors need to be considered when developing climate strategies for various types of ships and modes of operation.
To remind. During the 2023 GREEN4SEA Athens Forum, Dr. John Kokarakis, Technical Director Southeast Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic (SEEBA) Zone at Bureau Veritas, had supported the idea that ammonia will be more utilized as a carrier of hydrogen in a future hydrogen ecosystem.