Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM
Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM

Avoiding CO2 with Ammonia

© Fraunhofer IMM

Ammonia as a hydrogen carrier for decentralized energy supply

Fraunhofer IMM develops technologies for ammonia decomposition into hydrogen for mobile and stationary applications.



Our research is focusing on development of microstructured reactors, catalysts, gas processing, and integrated systems for shipping, logistics, and decentralized energy supply.

Ammonia offers a promising solution to hydrogen’s biggest challenges: storage and transportation. Despite its toxicity, it stands out for its established infrastructure, high energy density, and potentially lower costs—especially for mobile applications.

 

Offer to our customers


Our research and development services

  • Development of compact reactors with microstructured channels
  • Development of novel, highly active, and long-term stable catalysts for compact cracker systems
  • Construction of system prototypes for the production of pure hydrogen from green ammonia, demonstrating the entire process chain from hydrogen production through gas treatment to power generation in a fuel cell
  • Scalable and adaptable, fully integrated systems to supply hydrogen for fuel cells, engines, or turbines

Our development work currently focuses on the transportation, logistics, and manufacturing industries.

 

Our core competencies

  • System design
  • Process simulation
  • Catalyst development
  • Reactor design
  • System control
  • System integration
  • System testing

 

 

Why ammonia is an alternative

Challenges of hydrogen:

  • Complex storage: Requires either a large amount of space or energy-intensive conditions (e.g., pressure/temperature)
  • Difficult to transport: Infrastructure is still limited and costly
  • Scaling: Large-scale deployment has been limited so far

Advantages of ammonia

  • Efficient hydrogen carrier: Enables easier storage and transport
  • High energy density (volumetric): Requires less space than compressed hydrogen
  • Existing infrastructure: Production and logistics are established worldwide
  • Proven safety: Industrial processes—particularly those from fertilizer production—are well-controlled
  • Environmental performance: Degrades faster than oil, an advantage e.g., in maritime applications

Climate potential

  • Green ammonia: production from renewable energy possible (green hydrogen)
  • Emissions reduction: Potential to reduce nitrous oxide and NOx emissions with suitable technology
  • Contribution to decarbonization: Particularly relevant for sectors that are difficult to electrify

Economic outlook

Cost advantages: cheaper than alternatives such as

  • synthetic diesel
  • methanol
  • compressed hydrogen

-> Attractive for mobile applications: especially in shipping and heavy-duty transport

 

Conclusion:

Ammonia allow to overcome the key limitations of hydrogen and can become a viable, climate-friendly energy carrier—provided that production and use are low-emission and safe.

Projects

on the topic of ammonia

 

© First Ammonia Motors

First Ammonia Motors

The first internal combustion engine powered exclusively by ammonia—without any fossil fuels.

This is made possible by the use of an ammonia cracker developed at Fraunhofer IMM.

 

© ANT Topic / GAMMA

GAMMA

Development of an innovative fuel system for converting ammonia and green methanol into hydrogen in maritime application using cracker and reformer technologies from Fraunhofer IMM. The hydrogen is converted into electricity using a fuel cell, which supplies the ship with electrical power and thus replace the auxiliary generators powered by fossil fuels.

 

© Fraunhofer IMM

AmHyPower

The AmHyPower project is developing an energy system in which ammonia is decomposed into hydrogen for its direct use in the combustion engine. In this way, climate-friedly energy can be produced on board for propulsion and power generation.

 

© Shutterstock/Composing Fraunhofer UMSICHT

AmmonVektor

Green Ammonia as a Decentralized, Cross-Sectoral Energy Vector for Germany’s Energy Transition

Over the course of three years, Fraunhofer researchers are examining the entire value chain: This includes the development of reactors and catalysts for flexible, energy-efficient ammonia synthesis, as well as technologies for the decomposition of ammonia and its use to generate electricity, heat, and motion. Storage and logistics concepts will also be created.

 

© Fraunhofer IMM

AmmonPaktor

The “AMMONPAKTOR” project (“Use of Ammonia as a Carbon-Free Hydrogen Storage Medium for Decentralized Hydrogen Supply – Development of an Innovative Compact Reactor Concept”) aims to make ammonia available as an energy  carrier for hydrogen. Together with Fraunhofer ITWM, we at Fraunhofer IMM are laying the groundwork for this.

Press releases

on the topic of ammonia