Advancement in Integrated Ammonia Synthesis, and Its Techno-Economic Analysis, Emission Index, and Contribution to the Hydrogen 2.0 Economy

Increased concerns about fossil fuel dependence have urged researchers to explore alternative and green fuels to pave the platform for a carbon-free economy. Among the renewable fuels, carbon-free fuels have recently received much interest in decarbonizing the energy sector. In this regard, ammonia is considered to be a potential hydrogen and energy storage vector as it is a carbon-free fuel with a higher energy density. However, technical and economic hurdles prevent ammonia from entering the energy market. Therefore, the current review summarizes the recent technologies and strategies involved in the integrated ammonia synthesis and separation from various sources that can further act as a hydrogen carrier for the decarbonization of the energy sector. Additionally, the emission profile of ammonia-hydrogen blends and ammonia-methane blends and the technoeconomic analysis of ammonia production, along with challenges, were presented in detail. The technoeconomic analysis suggested that the integrated cost of ammonia synthesis, including equipment, manpower, and other costs, can be analyzed before setting up the ammonia synthesis plant to avoid additional costs. The last section provides a discussion on ammonia for the Hydrogen 2.0 economy.