Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector
Low-carbon ammonia has recently received interest as alternative fuel for the maritime sector. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a Post-Panamax vessel powered by low-carbon ammonia. We also calculate the annual increase in carbon tax needed to com...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Applications in Energy and Combustion Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X25000123 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849686727045677056 |
|---|---|
| author | Wouter Schreuder J. Chris Slootweg Bob van der Zwaan |
| author_facet | Wouter Schreuder J. Chris Slootweg Bob van der Zwaan |
| author_sort | Wouter Schreuder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Low-carbon ammonia has recently received interest as alternative fuel for the maritime sector. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a Post-Panamax vessel powered by low-carbon ammonia. We also calculate the annual increase in carbon tax needed to compensate for the increment in TCO compared to a vessel powered by very low sulfur fuel oil. The increment in TCO is calculated as function of propulsion efficiency to account for uncertainties in the thermodynamics of ammonia combustion for three different cost scenarios of low-carbon ammonia. We evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of hydrogen and diesel as dual fuel for three types of propulsion systems: a compression ignition engine, a spark-ignition engine, and a combination of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system and a spark-ignition engine. We incorporate three different cost levels for ammonia and a variable engine efficiency ranging from 35 % to 55 %. If the ammonia engine has the efficiency of a conventional marine engine, the increment in TCO is 25 % in the most optimistic cost scenario. SOFCs can reach a better efficiency and yield no pollutant emissions, but the reduction in fuel expenses in comparison to conventional combustion engines only offsets their high investment costs at either low engine efficiency or high fuel prices. The increment in TCO and reduction in GHG emissions depend on whether high combustion efficiencies, small dual fuel fractions, and low NOx, N2O, and NH3 emissions can be simultaneously achieved. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4cc308f875a0434d8c794ea52ee929f0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-352X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applications in Energy and Combustion Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-4cc308f875a0434d8c794ea52ee929f02025-08-20T03:22:35ZengElsevierApplications in Energy and Combustion Science2666-352X2025-06-012210033010.1016/j.jaecs.2025.100330Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sectorWouter Schreuder0J. Chris Slootweg1Bob van der Zwaan2University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science (HIMS and IAS), Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Corresponding author.University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science (HIMS and IAS), Amsterdam, The NetherlandsUniversity of Amsterdam, Faculty of Science (HIMS and IAS), Amsterdam, The Netherlands; TNO, Energy & Materials Transition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Bologna, ItalyLow-carbon ammonia has recently received interest as alternative fuel for the maritime sector. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a Post-Panamax vessel powered by low-carbon ammonia. We also calculate the annual increase in carbon tax needed to compensate for the increment in TCO compared to a vessel powered by very low sulfur fuel oil. The increment in TCO is calculated as function of propulsion efficiency to account for uncertainties in the thermodynamics of ammonia combustion for three different cost scenarios of low-carbon ammonia. We evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of hydrogen and diesel as dual fuel for three types of propulsion systems: a compression ignition engine, a spark-ignition engine, and a combination of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system and a spark-ignition engine. We incorporate three different cost levels for ammonia and a variable engine efficiency ranging from 35 % to 55 %. If the ammonia engine has the efficiency of a conventional marine engine, the increment in TCO is 25 % in the most optimistic cost scenario. SOFCs can reach a better efficiency and yield no pollutant emissions, but the reduction in fuel expenses in comparison to conventional combustion engines only offsets their high investment costs at either low engine efficiency or high fuel prices. The increment in TCO and reduction in GHG emissions depend on whether high combustion efficiencies, small dual fuel fractions, and low NOx, N2O, and NH3 emissions can be simultaneously achieved.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X25000123Cargo shippingGreen ammoniaDual fuelTechno-economics |
| spellingShingle | Wouter Schreuder J. Chris Slootweg Bob van der Zwaan Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector Applications in Energy and Combustion Science Cargo shipping Green ammonia Dual fuel Techno-economics |
| title | Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| title_full | Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| title_fullStr | Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| title_full_unstemmed | Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| title_short | Techno-economic assessment of low-carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| title_sort | techno economic assessment of low carbon ammonia as fuel for the maritime sector |
| topic | Cargo shipping Green ammonia Dual fuel Techno-economics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666352X25000123 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wouterschreuder technoeconomicassessmentoflowcarbonammoniaasfuelforthemaritimesector AT jchrisslootweg technoeconomicassessmentoflowcarbonammoniaasfuelforthemaritimesector AT bobvanderzwaan technoeconomicassessmentoflowcarbonammoniaasfuelforthemaritimesector |