H2SITE Delivers Ammonia Cracker for Ammogen’s Clean Hydrogen Project in UK

H2SITE, a company founded in 2020, has created a new device called an ammonia cracker using advanced technology. This device is a key part of the Ammogen Project at Tyseley Energy Park (TEP) in the UK and is designed to produce high-quality hydrogen for fuel cells.

H2SITE’s ammonia cracker uses special membranes within a catalyst bed to turn ammonia directly into hydrogen. This process does not need extra units to separate the hydrogen, making it more efficient. The system can produce 200 kilograms of green hydrogen daily, which meets the high standards needed for fuel cells.

The main innovation is the in-situ separation of hydrogen, which achieves over 98% recovery and almost complete conversion of ammonia at lower temperatures. This makes H2SITE’s technology a potentially game-changing solution for hydrogen production.

However, there are challenges in scaling up this technology and integrating it into existing hydrogen supply chains. Technologies like PEM electrolysis and SOECs are already highly efficient and set a high bar for purity and production. H2SITE needs to match or exceed these standards to be competitive.

Currently, producing 200 kilograms per day is a big achievement, but scaling up to process tons of ammonia daily for use in ports and ships will need a lot of investment and technological improvements. Maintaining efficiency and purity at larger scales is essential for wider use.

Economic factors are also important. The cost of producing hydrogen with H2SITE’s method must be competitive with other methods. While ammonia is a good hydrogen carrier due to its high density and existing transport systems, the costs of cracking, including energy and membrane maintenance, need to be managed.

The Ammogen Project is working with many partners, including TEP, DESNZ, Gemserv, EQUANS, Yara International, and the University of Birmingham, to promote international hydrogen trade. These partnerships are crucial for solving the challenges of hydrogen production and distribution.

The project’s focus on international trade and maritime use supports global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and diversify energy sources. Efficiently cracking ammonia into hydrogen at ports and on ships could improve the flexibility and resilience of the hydrogen supply chain.

Ongoing research and development are vital. Using advanced computational tools, real-world tests, and feedback from industry experts will help optimize the technology and identify areas for improvement.