Green Energy News: Saudi Arabia Sends Blue Ammonia to Japan

 

Saudia Arabia will send Blue Ammonia to Japan

Why is Saudi Arabia sending blue ammonia to Japan?

Japan wants to be the world leader in using hydrogen as fuel without carbon emissions. Japan has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by the year 2030.

When Saudi Arabia sends blue ammonia to Japan, it is being touted as the world's first shipment of this new product that is being made in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia plans to develop a $5 billion hydrogen-based ammonia plant in its futuristic-inspired planned city of Noem. Saudi Arabia continues to diversify its energy exports as it wishes to not solely rely on oil as its sole source of income.

Blue Ammonia is 'Green Energy'

This news is important to the green energy world, as blue ammonia can be burned as a fuel in thermal power stations without any carbon dioxide byproduct as a waste. This is Japan's goal: to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Blue ammonia is considered a "feedstock" for blue hydrogen. Hydrogen created from renewable energy sources with no emissions is also known as "Green Hydrogen."

This blue ammonia is produced by Saudi Aramco by converting hydrocarbons into hydrogen and ammonia and capturing the carbon dioxide byproduct, resulting in green hydrogen.

Because Japan is so densely populated, with limited mountainous geography, the country is open to importing the blue ammonia from Saudi Arabia to gain this fuel as renewable energy.

Japan's gas industry executive, Shigeru Muraki says that Japan is "the [blue ammonia] fuel is forging ahead of alternatives, with Japan's electricity industry planning for commercialization in the next few years."

He also says: "We've been looking at liquid hydrogen, organic hydrides and ammonia...the conclusion is that ammonia - a compound comprising three atoms of hydrogen to one of nitrogen - is the 'most viable option'."

Quick Fact: At room temperature, ammonia is a poisonous gas.