Decarbonisation Technology - November 2024 Issue

The location of ammonia cracking facilities can be important in permitting approval. For instance, ammonia handling at ports is often well-established, with a surrounding safety ecosystem, such as handling infrastructure, communications accessibility, security, and emergency response protocols, already in place. Locating facilities inland can mean additional complexities, especially if close to population centres. x Carbon intensity: Depending on the sustainability goals of the project, environmental impact and carbon intensity should be considered. The source of energy used for the process can impact the overall carbon footprint. Evaluating the environmental implications and exploring the use of renewable or low-carbon energy sources for ammonia production and cracking can help minimise the environmental impact. For instance, green methods that use renewable energy have the lowest environmental impact, while blue/low-carbon methods can result in low or very low carbon intensity, depending on the efficiency of carbon capture and potential upstream emissions. y Fuel choice for ammonia cracking: When choosing a fuel for ammonia cracking, it is important to consider factors such as overall efficiency, environmental impact, and economic viability of the process. The economic viability of ammonia cracking is influenced by the cost and availability of the fuel, so if ammonia itself is being used, it is important to ensure that its usage is as efficient as possible to maximise the amount of hydrogen produced. Using ammonia as a fuel decreases hydrogen yield. However, it ensures that all process energy originates from ammonia, leading to a hydrogen product with zero carbon intensity (provided the ammonia itself has zero carbon intensity). Utilising external fuels boosts hydrogen yield, but it may cause CO₂ emissions. However, if using carbon-neutral fuels such as biogas or biomethane, these CO₂ emissions will not impact the product hydrogen carbon footprint. This can help align with environmental regulations and sustainability goals. z Know-how and experience: Ammonia cracking is a growth area with many new players involved. Working with experienced technology providers ensures you have a

partner with a deep understanding of ammonia cracking processes, catalysts, and reactor design, accumulated over years of research, development, and practical application. This expertise and proven track record of successful implementations allows them to offer valuable insights, optimise the process, and troubleshoot any challenges that may arise during the project. Established technology providers often offer reliability and performance guarantees and have well-established project management processes and support systems in place, covering the entire project lifecycle. For instance, Topsoe has extensive experience in large-scale industrial ammonia cracking, spanning several decades. This experience in catalyst development and manufacturing, coupled with numerous insights gained over decades of operation, allowed us to launch the first large-scale ammonia cracking technology for commercial hydrogen production in 2022. Any new ammonia cracking venture has a focus on profitability, which requires high production efficiency. The energy and hydrogen efficiency of H2Retake technology ensures the best possible business case for an ammonia cracking plant. This is achieved through a streamlined ammonia cracking design, optimised heat and off-stream integration, and careful catalyst selection. H2Retake achieves an impressive energy efficiency of 96%, making it a highly cost-effective and sustainable solution. Time to get cracking? The rapid growth of ammonia as a hydrogen energy carrier and storage medium has given it a vital role in the global energy mix. The scalability and efficiency of ammonia cracking, particularly with advanced technologies like H2Retake, present significant opportunities for the burgeoning industry. Leveraging decades of experience and continuous innovation, Topsoe is ready to guide ventures through the complexities of ammonia cracking, helping them achieve profitability and efficiency. H2Retake is a trademark of Topsoe.

Joachim Harteg Jacobsen JCJ@topsoe.com