Ammonia as fuel
Ammonia is of interest in the context of global decarbonisation not only because it can be used as a carrier of hydrogen, but also because it can be a carbon-free fuel in its own right. Kobayashi et al. (2019) note the difficulties of transporting and storing hydrogen, and that ammonia, which is much easier to handle, “comprises 17.8% of hydrogen by mass and can be produced from renewable hydrogen and nitrogen separated from air.” Since ammonia has long been used “as a fertilizer, chemical raw material, and refrigerant” there is ample experience in its use. The paper explores the successful use of ammonia as fuel in gas turbines and in industrial furnaces, and discusses methods of overcoming problems associated with its use, such as low combustibility and the production of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The authors have a particular interest in ammonia as a means of satisfying Japan’s need for imported carbon-free fuel, following closure of all its nuclear power plants in 2011 after the Fu