Ammonia, methanol and e-fuels

Energy stored in synthetic molecules that can be burned or turned back into hydrogen.

Storage · Chemical · No. 87

• Storage
• Duration: Seasons

Synthetic jet fuel made from green hydrogen cost about EUR 7,520 a tonne in 2025, more than ten times fossil kerosene.

Chart: Illustration: Ammonia, methanol and e-fuels

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Hydrogen from electrolysis is joined with nitrogen from air to make ammonia, or with captured CO2 to make methanol, e-methane or e-kerosene.

Three things to know

1. Liquid ammonia holds about 3 kWh per litre and stays liquid at -33 C, making it easy to keep for a season.
2. A 10,000 tonne refrigerated ammonia tank costs GBP 20 to 40 million, cheap per unit of energy stored.
3. In 2024 JERA ran a 1 GW Japanese coal unit on 20% ammonia for about two months.

The journey

1. 1 Renewable powerCheap solar and wind, often remote
2. 2 ElectrolysisSplits water into hydrogen
3. 3 SynthesisAdd nitrogen or captured CO2
4. 4 Tanks and shipsLiquid fuel kept for months
5. 5 UseFertiliser, shipping, aviation, co-firing

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