Unlocking the Potential of Ammonia: A Catalyst for Energy Transition

Climate crisis and energy crisis are rather established facts. Therefore, energy transition is a must. But how do we fit it in quickly, efficiently, and economically? The answer is: ammonia is one of the solutions for the enormous transition we are all facing.

It is well known that green hydrogen is an important solution for energy transition, but how do we get enough of it? Generating green energy yourself is not an option, as far too little remains available despite all the solar and wind farms in Europe. Transporting from elsewhere is what we depend on.

That 'elsewhere' could be desert areas, where the possibilities for solar and wind energy are immense. As are the possibilities to use it to create hydrogen that can be transported to Europe. But transporting hydrogen is not easy. Due to the high pressure under which it must be transported in sufficient quantities, up to 300 bar, this is not really an option.

Transporting hydrogen in its liquid form, as with natural gas, does not seem to be a relevant option either. Liquid hydrogen has to be transported at -273 degrees Celsius, hence costing a lot of energy. Packaging it in a carrier material is the solution we must consider, and ammonia is thus by far the best option. With ammonia, hydrogen can be transported at 20 degrees Celsius under a low pressure of 8.6 bar and this liquid can transport up to four times more energy than compressed hydrogen.

Those convincing figures reflect its enormous potential, but ammonia is and remains a hazardous substance. However, it is a substance that we have known for a hundred years. Ammonia is used everywhere, in the fertilizer industry, as a cooling agent, or as fuel. We know how to deal with it. Soon we will do that on a larger scale. Antea Group’s industrial clients are prepared to deal with risks and to manage safety. The same applies when handling and transporting ammonia. In other words,  the risks involved must be put in the right perspective compared to all the other risks that our society accepts such as living below sea level. It is up to the industry to demonstrate that it has the knowledge and expertise required to handle ammonia safely and to communicate openly with stakeholders about this.

Antea Group has over 40 years of experience with ammonia safety and large-scale storage. This expertise has been provided to municipalities and local and central authorities in order to facilitate special planning implementation, plant layout designs, health & safety support, QRA development, pipeline safety, emergency response, safety management systems, permit application, ground and air emission management, development of passive and active mitigation systems, detection systems and stakeholder management.

To ensure optimal insight for all stakeholders, Antea Group used the latest technologies to calculate and visualize all the data required for an optimal decision-making process. Using GIS technology, the safety aspects of such projects are quickly calculated and presented instantly on maps. We also present environmental input data on asset level, thus leading to indicators that later on can be monitored by clients and authorities.

We are helping our clients in making sound business decisions and providing them with high-quality studies on ammonia safety and throughout the permitting process. In this way, Antea Group has been contributing to the enormous task that is transitioning towards a carbon-free energy system by 2050.