Green Ammonia as a flexible hydro-electricity carrier for Nepal

Abstract

An increase in the installed capacity of Hydroelectricity in Nepal in 2022 by 122% compared to that in 2021 is a major milestone in power production in the country. This increase in electricity production will make the country self-sufficient in electricity for the first time in the last three decades. The future growth of hydropower installations in Nepal is expected to rise much beyond the local consumption and is forecasted to reach as much as 3500 MW surplus energy by 2028. Most of the hydropower projects built and under construction are run-off-river type, due to which the power generation is highly seasonal and results in the poor load factor. There is a need for Nepal to plan the effective use of surplus power and the seasonality variation of hydro-energy. Producing green ammonia from hydroelectricity and its utilization in industries and commercial sectors can be one of the options for the storage and transportation of surplus hydroelectricity in Nepal in the future. With the flexibility of usage, and given the fact that the required technologies and infrastructures for safer transportation, distribution, and ammonia application are already in place; ammonia can be a viable option to be a hydro-electricity carrier of the future in Nepal. This paper studies the potentials of ammonia as a hydroelectricity carrier and its application as a chemical commodity in the industries and transportation sector. The different chemical attributes of ammonia along with the production technologies, economies of ammonia production, storage, transportation, and its subsequent application are studied. This study concludes that utilization of ammonia as a hydro-energy carrier and its usage as a chemical commodity in the industries, green fuel in the transportation sector can be a good opportunity to lead the country towards sustainable and renewable energy economy.