A carbon-neutral energy platform: integration of solid oxide fuel cell and ammonia synthesis for power and clean fuel

In response to the global transition toward carbon–neutral energy systems, we present an integrated high-efficiency platform that couples solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with continuous green ammonia synthesis and power generation. The system combines a SOFC with a supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) Brayton cycle, a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEME), an ammonia synthesis reactor (ASR), and a refrigeration unit. Hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water contained in the SOFC exhaust, while nitrogen is recovered from the N₂-enriched flue gas stream. These reactants are subsequently synthesized into ammonia, which functions as both a clean fuel and an efficient hydrogen carrier, that circumvents the storage and transport limitations of hydrogen itself. Under steady-state operation, ammonia is the sole external fuel input, and all intermediate species including water and nitrogen are internally regenerated and recycled. Waste heat recovered through the sCO₂ Brayton cycle increases total power output, yielding a net electrical generation of 19.3 MW (excluding electrolysis power consumption), The refrigeration cycle maintains the thermodynamic conditions required for efficient ammonia synthesis and separation, supporting stable operation and high conversion efficiency. System performance was evaluated through from energy, exergy, environmental, and exergoeconomic analyses, indicating overall energy and exergy efficiencies of 85.92 % and 79.64 % respectively, with a Sum Unit Cost of Products (SUCP) of 131.6 $/GJ, which reflects the integrated production cost associated with the simultaneous generation of electricity and ammonia. Relative to conventional natural gas-based power plants, the system reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 6.3 tons per hour. By linking electrochemical and thermochemical processes within a single energy platform, this design offers an efficient and scalable approach for carbon–neutral power and fuel production.

Citation

Ansari, F.K., Gharehghani, A., Ahmadi, S., Borhani, T.N. (2026) A carbon-neutral energy platform: integration of solid oxide fuel cell and ammonia synthesis for power and clean fuel. Energy Conversion and Management, 348(Part C), 120756.

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

This is an author's accepted manuscript of an article published by Elsevier on 13/11/2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2025.120756 The accepted manuscript may differ from the final published version.

ISSN

0196-8904

EISSN

1879-2227

Collections

Faculty of Science and Engineering