The stinky ammonia under your sink comes from one of the world’s dirtiest industries. That might change with the help of President Joe Biden’s climate law.
Ammonia production is a carbon-intensive process that uses fossil fuels to make the pungent-smelling chemical, which is often used to make fertilizers. But some companies think it could also as a carbon-free fuel for cargo ships or to generate electricity.
Its climate stakes are massive. But so is its potential for clean energy — because it doesn’t release any carbon emissions at the point of use.
A Danish company named Topsoe is planning to build a factory in Virginia that will produce electrolyzers, a device that can make clean hydrogen when powered by solar or wind energy. The electrolyzers will be installed at a new plant in Texas that plans to use the hydrogen to make “green ammonia,” which will be sold to a German power company. The Inflation Reduction Act is driving the investments for both facilities by offering billions of dollars through advanced energy programs.
