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Techno-economic analysis of ammonia to hydrogen and power pathways considering the emerging hydrogen purification and fuel cell technologies

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  • Wen, Du
  • Wei, Xinyi
  • Bruneau, Antonin
  • Maroonian, Aris
  • Maréchal, François
  • Van herle, Jan

Abstract

Ammonia serves as a promising hydrogen carrier and energy storage medium due to its high hydrogen content, ease of transport, and well-established production infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of ammonia-to‑hydrogen (A2H) and ammonia-to-power (A2P) pathways, comparing various process configurations for hydrogen production and power generation. High-temperature ammonia crackers (600 °C) achieve a maximum energy efficiency of 87.55 % and a maximum exergy efficiency of 86.09 %, outperforming lower-temperature crackers (450 °C), which have energy efficiencies ranging from 82.16 % to 86.75 %. Among hydrogen separation technologies, temperature swing adsorption (TSA) incurs the lowest efficiency penalty but at the highest cost, while pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is more energy-intensive but has the lowest levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) at 2.81 USD/kg. In the A2P pathway, the integrated system of the high-temperature cracker and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) achieves the highest efficiency of 69.55 % and the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) at 0.145 USD/kWh, underscoring the crucial role of system efficiency in determining LCOE. Conversely, directly combusting hydrogen in a steam Rankine cycle (SRC) results in the lowest efficiency of 33.2 % and the highest LCOE of 0.715 USD/kWh, making it the least viable option. Furthermore, integrating ammonia with existing energy infrastructures creates new opportunities for hydrogen production and power generation. The results highlight ammonia's potential as a cost-effective hydrogen carrier, particularly in renewable-rich regions for large-scale ammonia synthesis and export to high energy cost markets. This study offers insights into optimal strategies for deploying ammonia-based energy solutions, informing future technological developments and policy frameworks for a hydrogen-driven future economy.

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  • Wen, Du & Wei, Xinyi & Bruneau, Antonin & Maroonian, Aris & Maréchal, François & Van herle, Jan, 2025. "Techno-economic analysis of ammonia to hydrogen and power pathways considering the emerging hydrogen purification and fuel cell technologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 390(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:390:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925006014
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125871
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