A new concept for mid- to long-term storage of electrical energy in ammonia

A new concept for mid- to long-term storage of electrical energy in ammonia

AELECTRA will develop a groundbreaking system for energy-efficient long-term electrical energy storage in ammonia. The high risk/high gain concept has the potential to outperform conventional thermochemical Haber-Bosch Reactor (HBR) in CAPEX, at similar OPEX. It is suitable for decentralised on-site use, filling a gap in the market for production scales < 1000 kg/h NH3 (1 kW - 10 MW). The heart of the AELECTRA proposal is to deliver a turnkey system that will demonstrate NH3 synthesis and separation at lab scale. The state of the art will be advanced by identification of optimal reactor conditions, developing reactor & system components and AC/DC power supply. The AELECTRA system is suitable for decentralized use and can store the energy there where it is produced, and thus it can address both spatial and temporal variations in renewable energy production. It can disrupt the chemical industry by delivering the same product as Haber-Bosch Process, however at lower capital costs in large part by eliminating the need for expensive heat exchangers and compressors. The AELECTRA system will be relevant for multiple industry sectors, including power production, food, pharma, shipping as well as fertilizer production. To reach these ambitious goals AELECTRA will draw on the complimentary expertise of three research teams (AU, VITO and SINTEF); catalyst manufacturer C2CAT; power to X and X to power industry player ELTRONIC Fueltech; ANORI, a company investing in renewable energy projects in the northern part of the globe (Greenland); and ADISSEO, a French company that produces methionine using ammonia as feedstock.