The AMMONIAC technology is a thermochemical looping process for production of ammonia from hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen. Green ammonia can be produced if hydrogen is obtained from renewable sources. The AMMONIAC process essentially “breathes in” nitrogen and “breathes out” ammonia simply by cycling between different reaction environments at near ambient pressure. This breakthrough process is a simple, cost effective, energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional Haber-Bosch process and other emerging technologies for ammonia synthesis.
Green ammonia production by new / emerging technologies is still not cost competitive when compared with the conventional fossil fuel-based ammonia (e.g., through steam methane reforming). However, initial testing indicates that the levelized cost of green ammonia (LCOGA) production by the AMMONIAC process is well below the wholesale price of fossil fuel-based ammonia which currently ranges between USD$750 and USD$1200 per tonne.
This process operates at near atmospheric pressure (1-2 bar), significantly lower than the 200-400 bar required for the Haber–Bosch process. It can accommodate intermittent renewable energy due to its thermal inertia and uses ex-situ produced hydrogen, resulting in lower maximum temperatures (~290°C) and a smaller energy footprint compared to traditional methods (400-650°C for Haber–Bosch). The system is cost-effective with reduced capital investment, tunable, and modular, making it ideal for distributed green ammonia production. It is scalable for both small-scale and large-scale manufacturing.
