Saudi Aramco will ship blue ammonia to Japan, where it will be used in power stations to produce electricity.
Aramco and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), in partnership with SABIC, have successfully sent blue ammonia from Saudi Arabia to Japan with support from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Forty tons of high-grade blue ammonia have already been dispatched to Japan for use in zero-carbon power generation, Aramco said in a release September 27.
This is the world’s first shipment of blue ammonia. “The use of hydrogen is expected to grow in the global energy system. This world’s first demonstration represents an exciting opportunity for Aramco to showcase the potential of hydrocarbons as a reliable and affordable source of low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia,” said Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco’s Chief Technology Officer.
Zero-Carbon Power Generation
Ammonia contains approximately 18% hydrogen by weight and is already a widely traded chemical on the world stage. It releases zero CO2 emissions when combusted in a thermal power plant and has the potential to make a significant contribution to an affordable and reliable low-carbon energy future.
The Saudi-Japan blue ammonia supply network demonstration spanned the full value chain; including the conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen and then to ammonia, as well as the capture of associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
It overcame challenges associated with the shipping of blue ammonia to Japan for use in power plants, with 30 tons of CO2 captured during the process designated for use in methanol production at SABIC’s Ibn-Sina facility and another 20 tons of captured CO2 being used for Enhanced Oil Recovery at Aramco’s Uthmaniyah field.
This milestone highlights one of several pathways within the concept of a global Circular Carbon Economy, a framework in which CO2 emissions are reduced, removed, recycled and reused – as opposed to being released into the atmosphere.
“Blue ammonia is critical to Japan’s zero carbon emission ambitions to sustain the balance between the environment and the economy. About 10% of power in Japan can be generated by 30 million tons of blue ammonia. We can start with co-firing blue ammonia in existing power stations, eventually transitioning to single firing with 100% blue ammonia. There are nations such as Japan which cannot necessarily utilize Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) or EOR due to their geological conditions. The carbon neutral blue ammonia/hydrogen will help overcome this regional disadvantage,” noted Toyoda Masakazu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IEEJ.
