Development of New Ammonia Synthesis System using Renewable Energy and Hydrogen

From the world’s strongest sunlight, making the cheapest ammonia to save Africa and Japan

Principal Investigator

- Prof.
  AIKA Ken -ichi
  National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Numazu College
- Prof.
  Dmitri Bessarabov
  HySA Infrastructure Centre of Competence, North-West University

ODA Recipient Country

Republic of South Africa

Research Institutions in Japan

National Institute of Technology, Numazu College / Utsunomiya University / Chiba University / The University of Tokyo / Institute of Science Tokyo / Nagoya University / Kumamoto University

Research Institutions in Counterpart Country

North-West University

Adoption fiscal year

FY 2021

Research Period

5 Years

Overview of the Research Project

Support advances in South Africa' s electrolysis technology by building a new ammonia production plant with the latest Japanese technology
South Africa depends on coal from its eastern region for 70% of its domestic energy, and also exports coal. Today, there are issues with how to green the coal and the need for a new means of distribution as a consequence. Power generated from renewable sources can only be used at the site where it is generated, and if it is changed to hydrogen this is not cheap to transport. Converted to ammonia, however, it can be transported worldwide. South Africa, which possesses cheap renewable energy and abundant precious metals for use as catalysts, and Japan, with its highlevel chemical technologies, are cooperating to develop novel clean ammonia production technology with the potential to be used worldwide.

Greening South Africa' s coal production industry, providing fertilizer to the African continent, and reducing Japan' s and the world' s CO₂
We are using solar ammonia produced in western South Africa to green coal. The ammonia can also be used to meet the shortage of fertilizer on the African continent. Japan has added ammonia to its new energies for use in place of coal-fired power, and the fruits may contribute to the development of new technologies within Japan. They may also be widely applicable in other countries.

Photo gallery

HySA Infrastructure Center outdoor facility. The center uses shipping containers to conduct a range of research. The new ammonia production plant is also planned to be stored.