The transportation industry is the largest polluter in the U.S.
The
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently revealed that, in
2020, transportation accounted for the largest share (27%) of all U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Because of the
significant amount of transportation emissions, public and private actions are
being taken to reduce pollution in this sector. This includes the shipping
industry, which is notoriously dirty. Most recently, The Clean Shipping
Act of 2022 was introduced in Congress. Its goal is to eliminate emissions in
ports as soon as 2030, and it will prohibit any ship berthing or anchoring in
U.S. ports that don’t meet zero GHG emissions guidelines.
According to the International Maritime Organization, 85% of net greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry come from ships of 5000 gross tonnage and above. Because battery technology is not feasible for these vessels due to the vessel’s size and weight, hydrogen technology has emerged as the leading alternative for powering commercial vehicles.
Ammonia, which doesn’t have any carbon molecules, has tremendous potential
as a zero-emission renewable fuel because it can effectively carry hydrogen,
which faces challenges around storage and transportation, to a fuel cell.
Because ammonia has been used in the farming industry as a fertilizer for many
years, there is already existing infrastructure, including an ammonia pipeline,
for its production and transportation, which advances the chemical’s potential
as a renewable fuel. Furthermore, ammonia is easily stored as a liquid, which
reduces the cost, complexity, and space requirements for storage compared with
hydrogen and liquefied natural gas. Finally, ammonia has a high volumetric
energy density compared to other renewable energy sources, which means that
vehicles can be small, light, fast, and travel for longer periods.
There is a wide consensus that the shipping industry needs to transition to
a new set of fuels and propulsion technologies to meet global emission goals,
and ammonia has many qualities that make it a good fit for this industry. The
suitability of different carbon-free technologies is determined by the size and
operational profile of a given vessel. For example, the energy density
requirements for fuels and motor systems are less strict for small and
medium-sized ships that make short trips often, like passenger ferries. On the
other hand, energy density may be the most important performance measure for
large ocean-going vessels such as cargo ships.
Clean Hydrogen’s Promising Pathway
The clean hydrogen community anticipates that federal and state financing
programs will allow partnerships between the government and private sector to
encourage the sharing of technology and infrastructure in the U.S.
Efforts like establishing regional “Hydrogen Hubs” will make it easier for
these groups to work together to advance the policy environment required to
implement an ambitious hydrogen agenda. Increased collaboration, funding, and
technology demonstrations will empower states and regions to take advantage of
their existing assets and infrastructure as they move toward a clean energy
economy. These hubs will not only significantly influence the climate and the
economy, but they will also produce long-term jobs that will support ports and
families for many years. With ammonia power gaining momentum as a viable
solution for carrying hydrogen and decarbonizing shipping, it only makes sense
to include ammonia technology solutions in these efforts.
Shipping, a major component of global trade, benefits everyone. Food,
technology, medications, and more are shipped worldwide daily. To keep the
planet from warming further, there must be a complete transition away from
fossil fuels, and the shipping industry must do its part to decarbonize.
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