Green hydrogen for sustainable ammonia production: PEM electrolysis powered by wind energy

Abstract Ammonia production is a highly energy-intensive process, traditionally dependent on hydrogen derived from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas. Hydrogen is primarily produced through steam methane reforming, a process that releases large amounts of CO 2 . Transitioning to green hydrogen, generated by water electrolysis using renewable energy, offers an opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of ammonia production. Proton exchange membrane electrolyzers provide an efficient way to produce green hydrogen due to their ability to handle variable energy inputs from renewable sources like wind and solar energy. Wind-powered electrolyzers utilize a clean, renewable energy source, further contributing to reducing CO 2 emissions. However, the variable nature of wind energy presents challenges in ensuring a consistent hydrogen production, which is critical for the ammonia synthesis process. The model developed in this study integrates weather data with electrolyzer operations, enabling accurate predictions of hydrogen production under varying weather conditions. The model retrieves hourly weather data and uses DWSIM software to simulate the performance of the proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, allowing for a detailed analysis of hydrogen production when powered by fluctuating wind energy source.