Production of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers based on biomass – research efforts in Sweden Serina Ahlgren Dep of Energy and Technology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences NH3 conference, Sacramento, 23-25 September 2013

Outline of presentation

•  Intro Sweden •  Studies of future production based on renewables:

Ø  Techno-economic studies Ø  Life cycle assessment studies

Sweden

• 9.4 million people • 449 964 km² (approx. same

size as state of California!)

Uppsala

Sweden, land 3 % urban area 53 % forest 8% agriculture 9 % mire 10 % heathland, bare mountains 9 % water

Sweden livestock

• 360 000 milk cows • 180 000 beef cows • 1.6 million swine • 200 000 sheep • 260 000 reindeers

Import of ammonia and N

At present: No production of ammonia in Sweden

Imports to Sweden during 2012, metric tons

Anhydrous ammonia 136 500

Ammonia in water solution 14 700

Nitrogen in fertilizers (prilled calcium ammonium nitrate dominating)

148 100

Direct  energy  use  5,9  TWh

Diesel48%

O il13%

Electricity18%

Solid  biofuels20%

Liquid  biofuels1%

Indirect  energy  use  3.3  TWh

Artificial  fertilisers  56%

Pesticides5%

Seed  1%

Transport  of  inputs  4%

Direct  energy  use  5.9  TWh

Diesel48%

O il13%

Electricity18%

Solid  biofuels20%

Liquid  biofuels1%

Silage  plastic  7%

Imported  fodder27%

Direct  energy  use  5,9  TWh

Diesel48%

O il13%

Electricity18%

Solid  biofuels20%

Liquid  biofuels1%

Indirect  energy  use  3.3  TWh

Artificial  fertilisers  56%

Pesticides5%

Seed  1%

Transport  of  inputs  4%

Direct  energy  use  5.9  TWh

Diesel48%

O il13%

Electricity18%

Solid  biofuels20%

Liquid  biofuels1%

Silage  plastic  7%

Imported  fodder27%

Annual energy use in Swedish agriculture

Nitrogen in crop GHG balance

7 kg CO2/kg N 3 kg CO2/kg N

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Studies of future production based on renewables. In co-operation with:

•  Lund University, dep of chemical engineering •  University of Minnesota, West Central Research and

Outreach Center, Morris

Point of departure

N-fertilizers is a major contributor to fossil energy use and GHG in crop production N-fertilizers are costly and the price fluctuates Better utilization of renewable resources needed

Techno-economics, conclusions •  Production of ammonia from non-fossil sources can be

expensive (or, fossil fuel is cheap at the moment) •  Biomass gasification most promising alternative

Ø  economy-of-scale effects Ø  lower feedstock cost

•  Results will soon be published in Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy (Wiley) “Techno-Economic Assessment of Non-Fossil Ammonia Production” Authors: Tunå, Hulteberg, Ahlgren

Studied scenarios

•  3 MW Electrolysis •  10 MW Electrolysis •  5 MW Biogas from anaerobic digestion •  10 MW Biogas from anaerobic digestion •  50 MW Biomass gasification Modeling performed in Aspen Plus

Biomass gasification - ammonia

•  Circulating fluidized bed

•  Steam reformer (800°C) + auto thermal reformer

•  Ammonia synthesis modelled as three adiabatic reactors with recirculation. Pressure drop 3 bar, inlet temperature 427°C for each reactor

•  Excess heat, for use in district heating grid, usable at levels down to 70 °C

Biomass gasification - ammonia

To the total bare-module cost, 18% contingency and 30% auxiliary added giving the overall investment cost •  Biomass 34 – 102 $/MWh

•  Interest rate 5 – 12 %

•  Investment cost ±30%

Life cycle assessment

Emissions

Energy and resources

Raw material acquisition Manufacture Use Waste management

Ø  Cradle to grave Ø  Cradle to gate

Ø  Global warming potential Ø  Eutrophication Ø  Energy Ø  Land use Ø  etc

Two types of LCA

Attributional-LCA Consequential-LCA Existing systems Change-oriented Average data Marginal data Allocation System expansion Only direct effect s Indirect (market induced) effects

ALCA – production of AN from renewables

Ammonia production

Nitric acid production

Ammonium nitrate production

Anaerobic digestion

Cleaning and upgrading

Injection on gas grid

Pre-treatment

Gas cleaning and upgrading

Thermo-chemical

gasification

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Salix or straw production

Ley and maize production

AN Electricity

Ash

Dige-state

Ammonium nitrate Ammonium nitrate

Natural gas

extraction

Injection on gas

grid

Reference

Salix (willow) in summer and winter

ALCA results – production of AN from renewables

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Natural  gas Salix      (Paper  IV)

Straw(Paper  IV)

Ley      (Paper  V)

Maize(Paper  V)

g  CO2-­‐eq  per  kg  N

N itrogen  productionTransportsC ultivation,  harvest  and  handling

•  Production of ammonium nitrate granulates

•  Based on gasification and anaerobic digestion

•  From Ahlgren (2009)

•  Attributional LCA

Gasification Anaerobic digestion

CLCA – production of AN from renewables

Forest residues

Electricity Heat Nitrogen fertiliser

Marginal production

Surplus compared to existing

CHP replaces marginal

alternative

Integrate in existing CHP (Scenario 1)

+

Process

Compensating for reduced electricity

output from CHP

Straw / Willow

Electricity Nitrogen fertiliser

Replaces marginal alternative

Build a new thermal gasification plant (Scenario 2 and 3)

Process

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CLCA results – production of AN from renewables

1 Forest residues –

integration in existing CHP

2 Straw – new thermal

gasification plant

3 Salix – new thermal

gasification plant

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Some summarizing words…

Increasing interest for ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers based on renewables! Biomass gasification seems like a promising alternative! But questions remain on technology, scale, feedstock, etc As with all modelling there are uncertainties, e.g. regarding economy and environmental impact The next step…

References

Tunå, P., Hulteberg, C., Ahlgren. S. Techno-Economic Assessment of Non-Fossil Ammonia Production. Submitted to Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-7450/issues Ahlgren, S., Baky, A., Bernesson, S., Nordberg, Å., Norén, O., Hansson, P.A. 2012. Consequential Life Cycle Assessment of Nitrogen Fertilisers Based on Biomass - a Swedish perspective. Insciences Journal Climate Change, 2(4), 80-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.5640/insc.020480 Ahlgren, S., Bernesson, S., Nordberg, A. & Hansson, P.-A., 2010. Nitrogen fertiliser production based on biogas - Energy input, environmental impact and land use. Bioresource Technology 101(18), 7192-7195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.04.006 Ahlgren, 2009. Crop production without fossil fuel. Production systems for tractor fuel and mineral nitrogen based on biomass. Doctoral dissertation. Dept. of Energy and Technology, SLU. Acta Universitatis agriculturae Sueciae vol. 2009:78. http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/2151/ Ahlgren, S., Baky, A., Bernesson, S., Nordberg, Å., Norén, O., Hansson, P.-A. 2008. Ammonium nitrate fertiliser production based on biomass – environmental effects in a life cycle perspective. Bioresource Technology 99, 8034–8041 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.03.041

Thank you!