Siemens will launch a test project next week in Harwell, Oxfordshire that uses ammonia as a form of energy storage, the first such site in the world. The UK is seeing a wide range of innovative storage facilities and technologies come into effect this year, thanks in part to the government backed Innovate UK programmes. Earlier this month we discussed another world first facility: liquid air energy storage in Bury, and later this year we will see many other large scale energy storage facilities open in the UK, including Orsted’s 20MW in Liverpool and Fluence’s three 20MW sites in Bolton, Melton Mowbray and Warrington. 

Green Ammonia

Siemens’ £1.5m demonstration plant in Oxfordshire will turn electricity, water and air into ammonia without releasing carbon emissions – the ammonia is then stored and burned to generate electricity later on or sold as fuel or fertiliser.  

170m tonnes of ammonia is produced globally each year, the majority of which is made from natural gas – which emits greenhouse gases in the process. The Harwell plant doesn’t use fossil fuels, making it a clean, green source of the compound. 

Dr Ian Wilkinson, programme manager for the demonstration system, said: 

“Storage is recognised as the enabler for intermittent renewable power. This is where we’re different from usual storage, we’re not just looking at power. Usually it’s [storage] just filling in the gaps when the sun’s not shining and the wind is not blowing. We’re looking at other uses, mobility and industrial uses. Siemens is looking at a whole range of storage technologies, including batteries and chemical storage [including ammonia].” 

Alternative Uses

Storing renewable electricity as ammonia is a novel concept that aims to create an efficient method for renewable energy storage, as well as creating ammonia in a clean way. While the majority of the world’s ammonia is used as fertiliser on farmland, it can also be used as fuel. 

The ammonia created by the test site in Harwell will be able to have the hydrogen in it extracted, which in large enough quantities will be able to support hydrogen vehicles:  “I see it supporting a hydrogen economy,” said Wilkinson. 

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Image used courtesy of the Science and Technology Facilities Council.