vgbe energy journal 11 (2022) - International Journal for Generation and Storage of Electricity and Heat

Prospects for coal in agriculture
Oxygen from air
separation plant
Texaco gasifier
Feed water
High
pressure
steam
Radiant
Syngas
cooler
Slag to
recovery
Coal slurry
Syngas
'Black water'
recycled
Production of the synthesis mixture
Catalyst
Compressor
Compressor
for humic products (F i g u r e 4 ) is approximately
0.5 billion $/y and is set to increase
at 10%/y in Asia over the next decade. Declining
soil fertility and increased competition
for fertilisers, with a need to reduce nitrogen
and phosphate pollution, means
Coal gasification to syngas
Syngas cleanup ZnO bed To steam reformer
Scrubber
Production of ammonia
Pre-heater
Reactor
Catalyst
Compressor
Syngas to ammonia
Steam
Waste heat boiler
Fig. 3. GE coal slurry gasifier design that represents reactor design deployed in China, and a
schematic of the Haber Process (adapted by Reid, 2021; Haber Process, Wikipedia).
Human
(ansoluble soal)
Fulvic acid
(complex organic acid)
Alkaline extraction
NaOH
Centrifuge
Acidification
HCI
Crude humic
acids
Lignite / leonardite
Nitration
HNO 3
Alkaline extraction
KOH
Acidification
HCI
Crude nitro
humic acids
Cooler
Ammonia
(liquid)
Non-humic
matter
Humin
Fig. 4. GE coal slurry gasifier design that represents reactor design deployed in China, and a
schematic of the Haber Process (adapted by Reid, 2021; Haber Process, Wikipedia).
there could be a significant role for coal-derived
humates.
Research supporting the use of humate
products is strengthening but there are caveats.
Where the soil carbon content exceeds
3 % adding more humates has limited benefit;
it is more a product for impoverished
soils. The impact on soil microorganisms is
key to enhanced nitrogen fixation, but their
recovery takes time to develop, generally
more than one season. A significant effect is
that applying humates reduces demand for
nitrogen products, thereby reducing farmers’
costs, waste, and pollution. A product
that improves soil health, improves soil water
retention, needs less added nutrients,
and reduces pollution must be attractive.
The opportunity for the coal industry is primarily,
but not exclusively, for low rank coal.
A significant alternative use for coal is timely,
and this agricultural application offers
clear environmental benefits and a means to
support food production into the future.
References
Pulidindi K, Prakash A (2021) Fertiliser Market
Size, share and industry analysis 2021-2027.
Available from: https://www.gminsights.
com/industry-analysis/fertilizer-market Report
GMI4577, Global Market Insights, 400
pp, (Jun 2021).
UN (2018) Sustainable development goals. Available
from: https://sdgs.un.org/goals New
York, NY, Division for Sustainable Development
Goals, Department of Economic and
Social Affairs, United Nations Secretariat
Building, UN, vp (2018).
Zhu, Q (2022) The potential role of ammonia in a
clean energy transition. ICSC/323. Available
from: https://www.sustainable-carbon.
org/ London UK, International Centre for
Sustainable Carbon, 75 pp (Aug 2022).
This summary is based on the report: Prospects
for coal in agriculture by Dr Ian Reid,
IEA-ICSC Report Number: ICSC/325, ISBN:
978-92-9029-648-5, Publication date: September
2022, Pages 78, Figures 11, Tables
11, www.sustainable-carbon.org.
The report has been produced by the International
Centre for Sustainable Carbon
(ICSC) and is based on a survey and analysis
of published literature and on information
gathered in discussions with interested organisations
and individuals. Their assistance
is gratefully acknowledged. It should
be understood that the views expressed in
this report are ICSC´s own and are not necessarily
shared by those who supplied the
information, nor by ICSC´s member organisations.
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70 | vgbe energy journal 11 · 2022