Chapter 5 - Integrated ammonia production from the empty fruit bunch

Abstract

Due to population growth and economic development, the world is experiencing a global challenge in managing high energy demand. Sustainable energy development should include three aspects: promotion of renewable energy, reduced environmental risk, and high process optimization. However, the biomass feedstock is not suitable for end-users' direct use as a source of primary energy. They can use various conversion technologies to produce secondary energy forms or energy carriers such as biofuels, heat, or electricity. This situation has sparked a lot of interest in secondary energy carriers like hydrogen, potentially helping renewable energy in different forms. Unfortunately, due to its low volumetric density and proneness to leakage, hydrogen poses a major storage challenge. In order to address this issue, efficient hydrogen storage and transportation methods are being actively developed, including compression, liquefaction, hydrate binding, and conversion to other materials (ammonia, methanol). This chapter discusses advanced production systems for ammonia from empty fruit bunch. In addition, liquid hydrogen, methylcyclohexane, and ammonia are considered potential hydrogen storage among several alternatives and are also discussed briefly at the beginning of this chapter.