Wishful Thinking

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Ocean-going ships could be powered by Ammonia within the decade, as the shipping industry takes measures to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

The dry -burnt in the content material of fertilizer, in vessels, engines instead of polluting diesel.

The industry hopes the Ammonia will help to combat Climate Change , because it burns without CO2 emissions.

The Creation of Ammonia , resulting in considerable CO2, But a report says technology Can solve this problem.

The Challenge is huge, because the ship travel produces about 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions – about the same as the entire German economy.

the production of Ammonia is also a great source of carbon. A report by the Royal Society , says of Ammonia production, the created currently 1. 8% of global CO2 emissions – The Most of any chemical industry.

But the authors of The Report say that the new technology Can create a zero carbon Ammonia . One Way is by trapping the CO2 emissions created when Ammonia is generated, and the disposal of CO2 in underground rocks.

a Further possibility, the so-called "green" Ammonia , the use of Renewable Energy , producing no CO2.

But the big question is whether enough clean energy is available to create Ammonia on a large scale in the coming decades.

What is so good about Ammonia ?

Ammonia is an invaluable jack-of-all-trades chemical, But it is a threat in the wrong place.

It is supplied in bulk as an essential basis for the chemical, textile, explosives, refrigerants, and fertilizers.

But when it is shared carelessly on fields Can cause pollution of air and water, and they react with other chemicals, to greenhouse gases.

The Royal Society report says the need for farmers to use Ammonia , a very much more careful.

But it determines that the near ubiquitous use of Ammonia for agriculture has conveniently generated a global network of ports, in which the chemical is traded, or stored.

this means That the infrastructure for the storage of chilled Ammonia as a shipping Fuel is already available. In the USA, for example, an existing Ammonia pipeline runs for 2,000 miles.

Ammonia -engines Can be developed for LPG motors like this, How quickly could be Ammonia , the supply of ships?

The engine designer, man power solutions, is powered by a two-cycle Ammonia Motor, it is hoped, will be ready by the year 2024.

The company spokesman, Peter Kirkeby, told the BBC: “We are seeing a very large interest from the market in Ammonia as a Fuel – Even if there are challenges.

“We, The First ships driven with Ammonia , the existing tankers, the Transport of Ammonia for fertilizers. are to be expected You know How To treat it. "

he said he expected the Ammonia to be used for the same price of other Alternative Fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas or methanol.

But , The Report shows how inefficient these fuels are density in comparison with the energy-diesel.

This means that vessels powered by more environmentally-friendly fuels need to set aside storage for more valuable space for Fuel .

This is the reason why the authors of The Report say hydrogen is too bulky to Fuel ocean-going vessels.

And there is another problem. Combustion of Ammonia does not cause CO2 emissions, But the nitrogen creates oxides, which are also greenhouse gases. The Report says that the technology needs to be developed further, to deal with that.

it Is a bit of Wishful Thinking on the Ammonia ?

The Royal Society , the leading author, Professor Bill David, told the BBC: “ammonia is the only zero-carbon Fuel will get you about the world's oceans. "

But he warned: “In relation to emissions from industrial processes, Ammonia comes only after cement and steel, so we need to decarbonise the production of Ammonia . "

A recent scientific report with the title " Absolute Zero was sceptical as to whether the Ammonia was able to expand industry Fast Enough to power ships, decarburization while at the same time.

He said: “Although it is possible to produce Fuel cells Ammonia with renewable energies, there is currently no such process in commercial operation.

“Its implementation on a large scale would be an additional burden for the decarbonisation of the electricity grid. "

The UN's shipping body, the IMO, has a target of halving emissions from international shipping by 2050, compared to 2008.

A group of large shipping owner says, $2 (£1. 50) should be levied on each ton of the ships Fuel to support research in clean engines.

environmentalists have time and again complained to the industry values do not play their role in reducing emissions. In the short term, you want to the amount of the shipping costs are reduced overall, and impose a slower speed to save Fuel .

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carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, shipping industry, pollution, climate change, energy industry

Source of news: bbc.com