Project description
Ammonia – a potential key player in energy storage
Reliable energy storage has fast become the target technology to unlock the vast potential of renewable energy. Researchers are increasingly investigating the potential of renewable energy storage in the form of liquid ammonia. Its high energy density, carbon-free composition and relative ease of storage make ammonia an excellent energy carrier. The EU-funded ARENHA project plans to demonstrate a flexible and profitable power-to-ammonia-to-usage value chain based on the development of innovative materials. In particular, the project will develop advanced solid-oxide electrolyser cells for renewable hydrogen production, catalysts for low-temperature/pressure ammonia synthesis, solid absorbents for ammonia synthesis intensification and storage and membrane reactors for ammonia decomposition to pure hydrogen (> 99.99 %). The project will prove the competitive potential of ammonia as an energy carrier to produce pure hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles and as a possible fuel for internal combustion engines and solid oxide fuel cells.
Objective
ARENHA (Advanced materials and Reactors for Energy storage tHrough Ammonia) is a European project with global impact seeking to develop, integrate and demonstrate key material solutions enabling the use of ammonia for flexible, safe and profitable storage and utilization of energy. Ammonia is an excellent energy carrier due to its high energy density, carbon-free composition, industrial know-how and relative ease of storage. ARENHA demonstrates the feasibility of ammonia as a dispatchable form of large-scale energy storage, enabling the integration of renewable electricity in Europe and creating global green energy corridors for Europe energy import diversification.
Innovative Materials are developed and integrated into ground-breaking systems in order to demonstrate a flexible and profitable power-to-ammonia value chain but also several key energy discharge processes. Specifically, ARENHA will develop advanced SOEC for renewable hydrogen production, catalysts for low temperature/pressure ammonia synthesis, solid absorbents for ammonia synthesis intensification and storage, catalysts and membrane reactors for ammonia decomposition. Energy discharge processes studied in ARENHA tackle various applications from ammonia decomposition into pure H2 for FCEV, direct ammonia utilization on SOFCs for power and ICEs for mobility. ARENHA will demonstrate the full power-to-ammonia-to-usage value chain at TRL 5 and the outstanding potential of green ammonia to address the issue of large scale energy storage through LCA, sociological survey, techno-economic analysis deeply connected with multiscale modeling.
ARENHA’s ambitious objectives will be tackled by a consortium of 11 partners from universities, RTO, SMEs and large companies covering the adequate set of skills and market positioning. Considering the global nature of the ARENHA project, the consortium will strongly interact with its international advisory board composed of key energy stakeholders from the 5 continents.
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Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
20009 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN (GIPUZKOA)
Spain