Green Ammonia

Why in news?

• State-run V O Chidambaranar (VOC) Port located in Tamil Nadu has become the first port in India to handle green ammonia with the arrival of 20-inch tank containers loaded with the fuel from the Port of Damietta in Egypt.

About Green Ammonia:

• Ammonia is a pungent gas that is widely used to make agricultural fertilisers.
• Green ammonia production is where the process of making ammonia is 100% renewable and carbon-free.
• Process: 
  • By using hydrogen from water electrolysis and nitrogen separated from the air. These are then fed into the Haber process (also known as Haber-Bosch), all powered by sustainable electricity. 
  • In the Haber process, hydrogen and nitrogen are reacted together at high temperatures and pressures to produce ammonia, NH3. 

What are the uses of Green Ammonia?

• Energy storage: 
  • Ammonia is easily stored in bulk as a liquid at modest pressures (10-15 bar) or refrigerated to -33°C. This makes it an ideal chemical store for renewable energy.
• Zero-carbon fuel: 
  • Ammonia can be burnt in an engine or used in a fuel cell to produce electricity.
  • When used, ammonia’s only by-products are water and nitrogen. The maritime industry is likely to be an early adopter, replacing the use of fuel oil in marine engines.
• Direct usage of Green Ammonia in the fertilizer industry: 
  • Green Ammonia can directly replace Grey Ammonia currently used in fertilizer plants without requiring any changes to existing infrastructure.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. Ammonia can be used in a fuel cell to produce electricity

2. Ammonia are widely used in fertilizer plants

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer