Climate-neutral fuel: Tractor runs on slurry
An American company wants to use it to power trucks and heavy machinery. This is the first time that an emission-free ammonia solution has been used for this purpose.
We often hear about the negative consequences of the ammonia produced by mixing manure and slurry. As an indirect greenhouse gas and hidden climate killer, it is one of the biggest problems in agriculture. But what if it also had a positive use potential? What if ammonia could actually support the phase-out of fossil fuels?
This is the question the start-up Amogy has asked itself. According to the company from New York, ammonia could be the key to cheap and climate-neutral fuel. Amogy has already demonstrated that the gas can power an energy system without emissions. A tractor from John Deere, the leading brand in agricultural technology, has now had the opportunity to use the ammonia power solution. Never before has such a system been adapted to an agricultural machine.
The process of generating the energy needed to drive the engine begins with the splitting of the molecules. Consisting of one atom of nitrogen and three atoms of hydrogen, ammonia is split into the two components thanks to special Amogy modules. A fuel cell is then powered by the hydrogen and provides hours of electricity for the tractor. The drive solution also shows its advantages over electric motors. Because of the fivefold energy density compared to a lithium-ion battery, the tractor can work all day and quickly refuel when needed. Hydrogen separation outside the drive modules would also be possible in principle. However, by being unpredictable and explosive, the resulting pure gas would be much more difficult to handle.
Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy, is positively impressed by the results of the collaboration with John Deere so far. The use of alternative fuels, especially when produced directly at the point of use, is a great step forward, he says. While ammonia could also power ships and trucks in a climate-neutral way in the future, the greatest interest remains in agriculture. It is "a viable zero-emission fuel for all heavy-duty vehicles," explains Woo. But an even more sustainable decision would be to use ammonia as a fuel where "the chemical has been produced for decades for wide availability".
Although agriculture is an ideal environment for the production and use of ammonia solutions, it also has its weaknesses. Unfortunately, such a system does not work best on small organic farms. On the other hand, large quantities of ammonia to power several agricultural machines can be produced continuously at factory farms. However, these are rarely guided by ethical and sustainable principles. Only when confronted with attractive fiscal framework conditions could industrial animal husbandry decide to join the production of ammonia-based fuels.
Nevertheless, Amogy's project is a big step forward. And regardless of whether it will be applied to other transport sectors, it already shows something positive. Electric mobility is not the only solution for greener mobility. The way is also open for other alternative fuels. Especially if they are already available where they are needed.