Planetary Boundaries Analysis of Low-Carbon Ammonia Production Routes
Planetary Boundaries Analysis of Low-Carbon Ammonia Production Routes
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DOI：
10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c01915
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发表时间：
2021-07-12
影响因子：
8.4
通讯作者：
Guillen-Gosalbez, Gonzalo
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
D'Angelo, Sebastiano Carlo;Cobo, Selene;Guillen-Gosalbez, Gonzalo
目前，哈伯-博世(HB)工艺合成氨的排放量占全球碳排放量的1.2%，约占全球化工化石消耗量的四分之一，这就产生了对替代低碳合成路线的迫切需求。分析了地球安全运行的七个基本行星边界(PB)，我们发现标准的HB过程是不可持续的，因为它极大地违反了气候变化PB。为了从这一综合角度确定更负责任的战略，我们评估了34条替代路线的绝对可持续性水平，在这些路线中，氢(H-2)由碳捕获和储存的蒸汽甲烷重整、生物质气化或由各种能源提供动力的水电解提供。我们发现，其中一些情景可能会大大减少化石HB对全球的影响，但缓解对气候变化的影响可能会严重加剧对其他地球系统过程的影响。此外，我们确认，降低电解氢的成本是获得最可持续路线的经济吸引力的主要途径。我们的工作突出表明，在评估化石化学品的脱碳路线时，需要接受气候变化以外的全球影响。这种方法使我们能够确定更合适的替代品和相关的挑战，以实现环境和经济上具有吸引力的氨合成。
At present, the synthesis of ammonia through the Haber-Bosch (HB) process accounts for 1.2% of the global carbon emissions, representing roughly one-fourth of the global fossil consumption from the chemical industry, which creates a pressing need for alternative low-carbon synthesis routes. Analyzing seven essential planetary boundaries (PBs) for the safe operation of our planet, we find that the standard HB process is unsustainable as it vastly transgresses the climate change PB. In order to identify more responsible strategies from this integrated perspective, we assess the absolute sustainability level of 34 alternative routes where hydrogen (H-2) is supplied by steam methane reforming with carbon capture and storage, biomass gasification, or water electrolysis powered by various energy sources. We found that some of these scenarios could substantially reduce the global impact of fossil HB, yet alleviating the impact on climate change could critically exacerbate the impacts on other Earth-system processes. Furthermore, we identify that reducing the cost of electrolytic H-2 is the main avenue toward the economic appeal of the most sustainable routes. Our work highlights the need to embrace global impacts beyond climate change in the assessment of decarbonization routes of fossil chemicals. This approach enabled us to identify more suitable alternatives and associated challenges toward environmental and economically attractive ammonia synthesis.