
The Energy Collective Group
This group brings together the best thinkers on energy and climate. Join us for smart, insightful posts and conversations about where the energy industry is and where it is going.
Publication
The role of Ammonia in the North West Hydrogen Economy

The role of Ammonia in the North West Hydrogen Economy
Global production of ammonia currently stands at 176 million tonnes per year. Most ammonia is produced at large scale via the Haber Bosch process where nitrogen and hydrogen react at pressures of up to 200 bar. The carbon intensity of the ammonia is dependent on the source of hydrogen. Almost all ammonia today is produced using natural gas or LPG as a feedstock and reformed to produce hydrogen. In order to produce low carbon ammonia, a low carbon hydrogen source is required.
The cost of low carbon hydrogen and therefore low carbon ammonia is largely driven by the economics and scale of production, with the input cost of renewable electricity for electrolytic “green” production or natural gas for CCUS-enabled “blue” production being the most significant factors.
These costs are likely to be largely geographically driven. The low cost of solar energy in the Middle East and Australia means that hydrogen imported from these areas could be competitive with domestic production and could support the UK as it looks to meet domestic hydrogen demand. Figure 2 shows an evaluation of the cost of hydrogen production from natural gas in different geographies.
The CAPEX and OPEX of the reformation and capture process is the same for all locations, however the cost of gas has a large impact on the cost of hydrogen and varies by geography. The fragility of gas prices has been well documented in recent months, with the rapid rise in prices globally.
Discussions
More Posts
Episode #84: 'The Clean Energy Opportunity for Community Energy Providers' With Nick Chaset, CEO of East Bay Community Energy [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]
The landscape of the traditional legacy utility continues to be challenged by new technologies, public policies, and customer demands. Among the latest developments that are creating change in the power sector is the rise of Community Energy..
Environmental Justice Impacts Of The Hydrogen Economy
On this episode of Electrify This, host Sara Baldwin speaks with energy equity advocates to discuss which hydrogen applications have the most potential and which could harm environmental justice communities.
Celtic Sea Ports
Join with me and a community of experts: Hydrogen for Ports Source:
HYDROGEN SOCIETY ROADMAP FOR SOUTH AFRICA
The HSRM will contribute to the goal of just and inclusive net-zero carbon economic growth for societal wellbeing by 2050 through supporting interlinked objectives.
Get Published - Build a Following
The Energy Central Power Industry Network is based on one core idea - power industry professionals helping each other and advancing the industry by sharing and learning from each other.
If you have an experience or insight to share or have learned something from a conference or seminar, your peers and colleagues on Energy Central want to hear about it. It's also easy to share a link to an article you've liked or an industry resource that you think would be helpful.
Sign in to Participate