Comprehensive techno-economic assessment of Green-Ammonia@Scale production

Conventional Ammonia (NH₃) production through steam methane reforming directly emits greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and indirectly releases air pollutants such as Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and Sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Conversely, utilizing renewable-powered water electrolysis enables the production of green-NH₃, providing a cleaner and more environmentally sustainable alternative. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) model, incorporating economies of scale, was developed to investigate the feasibility of green-NH₃@Scale production at two prospective locations within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Aspen Plus, the Hydrogen (H₂) Production Analysis model (H2A), and the System Advisor Model (SAM) were used to simulate and optimize the volumetric production and economic metrics. The findings reveal substantial variability in the levelized cost of green-NH₃ (LCOA), driven by factors such as production scale, electrolyzer type, and power-to-power plant configuration. Depending on the geographical location of the production facility, production scale, and associated economic and financial parameters, the LCOA ranged from $556/t to $680/t. This positions green-NH₃ near competitive parity with blue-NH₃, which has a cost of approximately $400/t. These results underscore the cost-effectiveness of green-NH₃ and its potential as a robust H₂ energy carrier, providing a benchmark to guide investment decisions and inform policy development.