This first anniversary (M12) included several new entries in the official programme. FIREFLY extended an invitation to the EU-funded project ORACLE – “Novel routes and catalysts for synthesis of ammonia (NH3) as alternative renewable fuel”, its full title. This initial clustering invitation comes from our conviction that turning up the volume on collaboration is a first step towards future breakthroughs in electrochemistry.
The first day of the M12 consortium gathering concluded with an overview of ORACLE, skillfully delivered by Prof. Emil Drazevic from the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering – Process and Materials Engineering at Aarhus University (Denmark), in his role as project coordinator. Prof. Drazevic highlighted overlapping activities and partners in both projects, focusing on the specific aspects of ORACLE with potential interest to the activities of FIREFLY: production of ammonia using electrochemical processes.
Explained by its full title, ORACLE project aims to develop scalable alternative reaction technologies for descentralised production of ammonia as a renewable fuel from dinitrogen (N2) and water (H2O). ORACLE is looking at alternatives to electrify ammonia production, a process responsible for almost 2% of global CO2 emissions, by developing technologies complementary to the well-established Haber-Bosch process. The project will develop and validate at TRL3 (experimental proof concept) three strands for ammonia synthesis: electro-catalytic, plasma-aided electrocatalytic as well as electrified thermal catalysis process that will serve as a benchmark. The consortium, including also two Japanese research institutes working in collaboration with European partners, have identified already several potential market applications, notably farming sites, energy storage applications, as well as using ammonia as a fuel.
