Taiwan Fertilizer Co.(TFC) has plans to venture into the clean energy sector by utilising ammonia, an effective hydrogen energy carrier. This was disclosed by TFC chairman Lee Suen-zone recently at an industrial seminar in Taipei. He said that the company plans to construct two ammonia storage facilities over the next two to three years. With this, it plans to tap the potential opportunities associated with low-carbon hydrogen.
“Established in 1946, TFC is looking to transform its business to reduce carbon emissions in different ways, including a transition to clean energy using ammonia, traditionally a raw ingredient in fertilizer production,” he said.
Lee also elaborated on a technological breakthrough that would enable the company to use hydrogen and ammonia as renewable energy sources. “Ammonia is not only used for fertilizer production, but can also be used as an energy carrier and zero-carbon fuel,” Lee said.
TFC currently has two ammonia storage facilities and plans to build two more in the next two to three years to meet the huge demand for ammonia as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, Lee said.
“The two existing ammonia storage tanks at the company’s Taichung plant have a total capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year and total annual shipments could reach 120,000 tonnes given a turnover ratio of three times per year,” TFC acting President Chang Chang-lang said.
Developing hydrogen energy has become an important national goal, Lee said, adding that domestic hydrogen production is a better choice than importing it, because it can only be transported at an extremely low temperature, making importing difficult.
“There is an emerging international consensus that a highly effective and cheap way to make hydrogen is through the conversion of ammonia,” he said.
“Many countries around the world are developing hydrogen energy, one of the cleanest energy sources, as a substitute for oil and other fuels,” he said while adding, “As Taiwan moves toward the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, the establishment of a hydrogen supply chain is part of its hydrogen development strategy.”
