A Rockland-based nonprofit involved in Maine’s efforts to develop deepwater wind turbines also sees “green energy” potential in a compound that many people likely associate with cleaning products.
The Ocean Energy Institute is developing plans for a pilot project in Maine that would take hydrogen from seawater and nitrogen from the air to form ammonia, which then can be used as a type of fuel similar to propane.
A common ingredient in the fertilizer that supports modern agriculture, ammonia traditionally has been produced from natural gas, oil or other fossil fuels through an energy-intensive process.
But staff at the Ocean Energy Institute — a small think tank and venture capital fund formed in 2007 — believe they can create ammonia from desalinated seawater and air with zero carbon footprint. To power the conversion process, the institute hopes to use off-peak electricity from deepwater wind farms proposed for the Gulf of Maine.
Ammonia will likely never replace oil or other fossil fuels, the Ocean Energy Institute’s managing director, Robert West, said in an interview on Sunday. But it could be another piece of Maine’s and the nation’s energy future as the country shifts to more renewable energy.
“It’s a totally green fuel that over time, given the future price of energy, could potentially be used to partially replace gas or diesel,” West said.
Unlike electricity generated by wind farms, which instantly flows into the grid, ammonia created by the process the institute proposes can be stored in liquid form in tanks for later use in combustion gas turbine generators or even cars, buses or other engines.
West said he could foresee a time when lobster boats on Maine islands could be fueled by ammonia generated from local wind turbines.
“You are converting electric energy into ammonia, and ammonia has stored energy. It’s a fuel,” West said.
The Ocean Energy Institute’s plans received a boost Thursday night when Gov. John Baldacci mentioned the firm and its founder, Matt Simmons, during his State of the State address. Simmons also is founder and chairman of Simmons & Co. International, the world’s largest energy investment banking firm.
“Imagine, using the power of the wind and waves to create a new energy source almost literally out of thin air,” Baldacci said in his speech. “Matt’s imagined it, and he’s working to make it real. My administration is working with the Ocean Energy Institute, which is planning to build a pilot plant within the next two years.”
Of course, the institute will have to overcome a host of challenges — both technological and financial — before that happens. Arguably the biggest challenge could be addressing the real and perceived safety concerns that come with ammonia.
The city of Portland got a taste of the challenges of dealing with large amounts of ammonia on Friday when hazmat crews spent several hours at a leak at a cold-storage facility. No one was injured, but the leak led to a voluntary evacuation order for the surrounding neighborhood.
Ammonia is caustic and is classified by the federal government as an irritant and a corrosive material that can damage the skin, eyes, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Exposure to large amounts of ammonia can be fatal.
Ammonia is similar to propane in that it can be converted from a gas to a liquid at cool temperatures or under pressure. But unlike propane or gasoline, ammonia does not ignite easily, making it less prone to explosion, West said. Ammonia gas also rises in the air rather than accumulating on the ground.
The Ocean Energy Institute also must convince the U.S. Department of Energy to re-classify ammonia as a type of fuel. Ammonia has been used as a fuel for buses, planes and other engines in Europe, most notably during fuel shortages during World War II.
Seated in the institute’s still-empty new offices, West said the Ocean Energy Institute is “just ramping up” its work on the issue. The institute also is continuing to work with University of Maine researchers on the DeepCwind consortium planning to deploy prototype deepwater wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine within several years.
A lot also will depend on the future prices of oil and electricity, West said. “As the markets change, we hope it will have a viable future,” he said.