Baerbock in the ammonia domain
“Extreme” Texas is betting on the green fuel of the future
September 13, 2023, 9:58 p.m
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Texas is best known for oil and natural gas. However, the state is also a leader in wind power and solar. They also rely on ammonia, as Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock was shown during her visit. The energy source could one day power ships in a climate-neutral manner.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized the importance of the US state of Texas as a location for climate and energy technology companies. In the metropolis of Houston, the Green Party politician visited a company that has developed a system for storing, storing and transporting ammonia. This is an important technology for the energy transition. Green ammonia could theoretically power large ships and reduce the industry’s extreme emissions.
More than 4,700 energy companies operate in Houston, including approximately 150 solar energy companies and 40 wind energy companies. At the Houston location, a new Advario facility is being built for the storage and transport of ammonia with, according to the company, the world’s largest ammonia tank with a capacity of 70,000 cubic meters. There is also a pipeline connection to a new ammonia plant on the Gulf of Mexico coast and the infrastructure to load large ammonia tankers. The plant is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2023.
On Tuesday evening (local time) in the capital Austin, Baerbock called Texas a “state of extremes in a country of extremes”. Texas still has “one foot in the fossil fuel world of oil and gas”, but on the other hand is a world leader in wind power and solar energy. It was important to her to come to a state in the year before the 2024 US presidential election that was an example of progress and opportunities, but also of social tensions and risks.
A lot of potential is seen in ammonia
According to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, ammonia from green hydrogen is an energy source with high economic potential. It can be used as a chemical raw material, as ship fuel or for stationary power generation.
In the shipping industry, green ammonia is sometimes seen as having great potential. One day this could be used to power ocean giants in a climate-neutral way. Among other things, the gas is easier to store and transport than pure hydrogen, which, like green methanol, is also in the race to become the environmentally friendly ship fuel of the future.
But there are also disadvantages. Burning ammonia can produce nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. However, the problem could be easily managed with an appropriate exhaust aftertreatment system.
In the future, ammonia will be imported on a large scale from regions with high solar and wind resources, writes the Fraunhofer Institute on its website. Ammonia has the potential to make a significant contribution to the energy transition. It could also be produced from green hydrogen and nitrogen in sunny and windy but remote regions – for example in the North African desert. The institute writes that the energy source is liquefied for transport to Europe, usually by ship.
More Baerbock dates in the USA
In the afternoon, Baerbock wanted to travel to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. She wanted to visit a tactical training command of the Federal Air Force there. German jet pilots have been trained in Wichita Falls since 1966. In 1981, the program was expanded to include pilot candidates from other NATO nations. A spokesman for the Foreign Office explained that the training is a practical example of transatlantic cooperation in security and defense policy.
The onward flight to the US capital Washington was planned for Wednesday evening. Baerbock wants to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and members of Congress there on Thursday and Friday.
Texas is located in the south of the USA and is considered one of the Republican strongholds. The state is the second largest in the USA in terms of area after Alaska and is about twice the size of Germany. Behind California, Texas is also number two in terms of population with a good 30 million inhabitants. More than 40 percent of people in Texas have a Hispanic immigrant background.