- Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) predicts that ammonia, rather than methanol, will emerge as the dominant green fuel in the future due to its abundance and lower environmental impact.
- While Maersk has been advocating for methanol, CIP highlights the potential challenges of methanol production and distribution, favoring ammonia for its availability and environmental benefits.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) asserts that ammonia will surpass methanol as the primary green fuel in the future. Jens Jødal Andersen, VP of CIP, emphasized the challenges associated with methanol production, particularly the limited availability of biogenic feedstock by 2040. He explained that while methanol production relies on biogenic sources, transporting these sources to production facilities, particularly across continents, significantly increases costs.
Advantages of Green Ammonia
In contrast to methanol, green ammonia production relies on readily available raw materials—nitrogen from the atmosphere and hydrogen electrolyzed from water. Andersen highlighted the abundance of these resources, positioning ammonia as a sustainable and viable alternative fuel for the shipping industry.
CIP’s strategy involves setting up ammonia production facilities in regions like Western Australia, Morocco, South America’s Patagonia, and remote areas in Mexico. These facilities would utilize wind and solar energy for ammonia generation, capitalizing on renewable energy sources.
Environmental Considerations
While green ammonia offers zero emissions at the funnel and during production when generated using renewable energy, it poses challenges due to its toxicity. Experts warn of potential environmental damage in the event of an ammonia spill, similar to the concerns raised regarding the sunken Rubymar in the Red Sea.
David Dupont-Mouritzen, Power-to-X project director at CIP, acknowledges the toxicity of ammonia but highlights the potential long-term environmental impacts of fossil fuel accidents compared to ammonia spills. Despite its toxicity, ammonia’s dissolution in water suggests a potentially lesser long-term impact on marine life compared to fossil fuel accidents.
