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ENERGIX-Stort program energi

AEGIR - Ammonia electric marine power for GHG emission reduction

Awarded: NOK 2.5 mill.

The international maritime organization (IMO) strategy envisages 50 % reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by 2050 and a complete phase out of CO2 emissions by 2100. At the same time, international maritime trade is expected to triple by 2050 (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD). It is clear that wide-scale implementation of low- and zero-emission solutions for maritime transport is the only way to sustain this growth while fulfilling the emission targets set by the IMO. Several technologies are investigated for achieving these goals, but hydrogen, and ammonia as hydrogen carrier, are considered the most viable approach for long-haul routes due to the high efficiency and volumetric energy density. Especially the latter is a strong selling point for ammonia. Ammonia has higher volumetric energy density than liquid hydrogen, is less energy demanding to liquefy, and is easier to store. High-temperature fuel cells (SOFC) is the most efficient technology for converting the chemical energy in hydrogen and ammonia to electric power, with efficiencies up to 90% with good heat integration. Low-temperature fuel cells (PEM) is a more mature technology with existing commercial solutions for short-haul hipping already available. However, Pem-cells have lower efficiency and can not be used directly with ammonia. PEM-cells depends on a pre-cracker (PCEMR) which cracks the ammonia and separates out clean hydrogen for use in the PEM-cells. The AEGIR project investigated the possibility of combining SOFC, PCEMR and PEM technologies with an overarching goal to make a system with high efficiency for ammonia conversion whilst minimizing the weight and volumetric footprint. One of the questions the project sought to answer was how ammonia affects durability and life-time for the different technologies. AEGIR also investigated the optimal combination of the technologies to maximize efficiency and minimize emissions using system modelling and techno-economic analysis. AEGIR is a nordic collaboration finances by the Nordic Energy Research, the Norwegian Research Council , EUDP (Denmark) and Business Finland. The project partners are SINTEF Industri, DTU, VTT, Vard, CoorsTek Membrane Sciences and Ballard Power Systems.

The AEGIR project has contributed to development and testing of ammonia based fuel cells for maritime propulsion strengthened the prospects of ammonia as a future fuel for the martime sector. The knowledge gained will contribute towards industrial uptake of fuel cell technology for carbon-free propulsion in the maritime sector. The project delivered significant insight for operation and degradation mechanisms of the three key technologies, namely solid oxide fuel cells, proton ceramic electrochemical membrane reactors and proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The international maritime organization envisages 50 % reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by 2050 and a complete phase out of CO2 emissions by 2100. At the same time, international maritime trade is expected to triple by 2050 (OECD). It is clear that wide-scale implementation of low- and zero-emission solutions for maritime transport is the only way to sustain this growth while fulfilling the emission targets. Ammonia is a promising fuel alternative that has the potential to be zero-emission if produced using renewable energy. The AEGIR project proposes a unique fuel cell and membrane based system for efficient conversion of ammonia to electrical energy. In this concept, ammonia is first cracked to H2 and N2 using a solid oxide fuel cell; the H2 is extracted and purified using a proton conducting electrochemical ceramic membrane; and finally converted to electrical energy using a polymer exchange membrane fuel cell. By combining these three technologies AEGIR aims at developing an ammonia-fuelled ship propulsion system that offers high efficiency in combination with a low total system volume and weight. AEGIR aims at assessing the technical viability of the proposed solution by experimentally testing the individual components for the proposed application and modelling the system as a whole. The techno-economic feasibility of the proposed system and its potential for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to current solutions will be demonstrated in a well-to-propeller analysis. The project consortium consists of research institutions having a strong track record within the three innovative technologies, industrial manufacturers for each of the three main components, and a ship yard that is sincerely committed to implement the solution in the future.

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ENERGIX-Stort program energi