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Workshop: Challenges in Low Carbon Projects

CRU Nitrogen + Syngas 2024 Workshop: Challenges in Low Carbon Projects 

Lessons Learned from Several Case Studies

This workshop will take place March 4, the first day of the CRU Nitrogen +  Syngas Conference. Together with Casale, Linde and Enercat, we will share with you the Lessons we Learned from Several Case Studies. These case studies concern a wide range of low carbon products like low carbon ammonia, low carbon methanol and low carbon urea.

Challenges in Development of Low Carbon Projects, Klemens Wawrzinek, Linde Engineering GmbH

There are additional challenges to be considered, when developing a sustainable project. The unknown maybe a market, which is unfamiliar to the project partners, or maybe an undeveloped market with regard to trading or technology, e.g. green NH3 fuel. Furthermore, not only the products must be low carbon or carbon free, the upstream production and the entire value chain must be taken into consideration. Finally, also the regulative specifics of a project must be applied, which often is not fully clarified and calculatory details must be aligned with the approving authority. Unclear regulatory conditions will hamper financial decisions and may delay projects significantly.

The new challenges impose additional risks to sustainable projects, which have to be mitigated. Keeping discipline in each of the stages with regard to ensuring clear boundary conditions and ensure the most important topics, like feedstock availability incl. sustainable power, considering additional feedstocks, realistic offtake etc. is prerequisite to avoid setbacks with regard to project cost, schedule etc. Also it will be shown, that technology reviews should be realistic from the beginning considering many aspects: Technical and commercial maturity of an intended technology, the respective reference situation, the production capacities and cost.

N2O, NH3 and NOx Emissions of using Ammonia as Fuel, Jean-Rémi Stephany, EnerCat

Ammonia has emerged as a promising green alternative to traditional marine fuels due to its zero-carbon potential. However, the combustion of ammonia can produce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and ammonia (NH3) emissions from the engine alongside various vents related to storage and use. 

While SCR process for NOx abatement is already being operated on numerous vessels using standard Vanadium-titania catalyst and specific regulations dictates ammonia emissions threshold from NH3 transporting vessels, N2O emissions are still to be addressed as they could completely offset the benefit of using a zero-carbon fuel. Combined abatement of NOx & N2O is already being performed on many nitric acid units with associated care being taken to limit NH3-slip. Similar issues are to be faced onboard vessels while conditions (emissions concentrations, temperature…) will differ leading to adapted catalytic technologies and specific integration in the exhaust chain. 

How to Get Away with Carbon in Methanol Plants, Pietro Moreo, Casale SA

Syngas generation through oxygen, successfully implemented by Casale in large scale plants design, not only enables minimum energy consumption and carbon emissions in grass root running plants, but nowadays it becomes an excellent strategy for revamping existing plants, reducing consumptions and carbon emissions, and for boosting the capacity of bio methanol units.

Challenges for Green Urea Projects and what are the Alternatives, Mark Brouwer, UreaKnowHow.com

Green Urea projects are typically smaller scale than the nowadays implemented grass root urea plants based on natural gas. At the same time Safety, Health and Environmental standards are similar. Let’s discover what that means in practice. And explore if new innovative small scale low carbon nitrogen fertilizer technologies can become an alternative.