Have you ever thought that one day your car will no longer need gasoline, and when you drive to the gas station, you will no longer be waiting for the gas tank to gulp down gasoline, but instead you will be switched to ammonia, a mysterious liquid that sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie? Ammonia is like a super green energy drink for your car that not only drives it down the highway but is also super friendly to the environment. It may sound like a sci-fi movie, but it's a future energy source that's being seriously studied.

Simply put, ammonia fuel is the use of the chemical ammonia as a power source instead of the traditional gasoline and diesel. Ammonia sounds a bit like the detergent you might use in your house's toilet (don't smell it, of course), but it has one big advantage: it's carbon-free! This means that by using ammonia fuel, we could theoretically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by a lot and fight global warming.

Let's say your car is a super foodie kid, and ammonia is his healthy snack. Conventional gasoline and diesel fuel are like high-calorie fast food, which is not only bad for your health, but also “fattens up” the environment and emits a lot of carbon dioxide. Ammonia fuel, on the other hand, is like a low-calorie healthy snack. Although it has fewer calories, it provides enough energy to keep the car running and does not produce as much “exhaust”. The production of ammonia is like a natural magic show, and electrolyzed water and nitrogen are the two magicians in this show. First of all, the electrolysis of water, the “water magician” appeared, he gently waved his hand, like a magic spell, ordinary water molecules were broken down into hydrogen and oxygen. This hydrogen is like a pure energy pixie released in the magic show, full of vigour and potential. Then, Nitrogen, the “air magician”, gracefully stepped onto the stage, with a hint of mystery, but also very friendly. When the hydrogen elf meets the nitrogen magician, a marvellous chemical reaction occurs instantly, and like a fusion ritual in magic, they combine to form ammonia, the miracle of green energy.

The first thing that makes ammonia fuel so popular is how easy it is to store and transport. Ammonia doesn't need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures or high pressures like hydrogen; it's like going to the grocery store and buying a bag of snacks that are kept at room temperature instead of ice cream that has to be kept frozen. In addition, ammonia can utilize a lot of existing infrastructure, which means there's no need to go to the trouble of building new pipelines and ammonia refuelling stations as if you've switched to a new brand of milk but can still use your old refrigerator at home. Best of all, the main products of ammonia combustion are nitrogen and water, making it an environmental favourite over traditional fossil fuels.

Of course, ammonia fuel is not a perfect “snack”. It has some challenges to overcome. Currently, ammonia doesn't burn as efficiently as traditional fuels, just like when you eat a bunch of low-calorie snacks and feel full but not quite there yet. In addition, ammonia is toxic and has an irritating odour in the air that needs to be handled with care, like a bag of strongly smelling durians that fills the house if not handled properly. Although ammonia combustion does not produce carbon dioxide, it does produce some nitrogen oxides, which are also pollutants and need to be controlled effectively.

Although the ammonia fuel technology is still under development, it has the potential to become an important part of the future energy source. If one day in the future, our cars, boats and even aeroplanes are using this green fuel, then the air will be cleaner, the sky will be bluer, and Mother Earth will be grateful for our choice.

All in all, ammonia fuel technology is like a freshly minted rookie with lots of potential and challenges. But as long as we keep working hard, one day it will become a “superstar” in the energy industry, bringing more convenient and environmentally friendly choices to our lives.

（Writer：Dirick）