Data and code generated for the research paper: Haber–Bosch 2.0 for low-carbon ammonia production: A global techno-economic and environmental assessmentment.

Integrated, open-source techno-economic and environmental optimization framework to evaluate low-carbon fuels and other energy systems, here applied to decentralized ammonia production.

This repository is used for the manuscript:

Terlouw, T., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., McKenna, R., Rosa, L. (2026). Haber–Bosch 2.0 for low-carbon ammonia production: A global techno-economic and environmental assessmentment. Energy & Environmental Science.

It provides the full modelling workflow used to evaluate more than 13,000 decentralized ammonia production configurations worldwide under grid-connected, hybrid, and off-grid system designs.

This framework integrates energy system modelling, techno-economic assessment, and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate where, how, and under which conditions decentralized ammonia production can contribute to a low-carbon global energy system.

The framework combines:

• Energy system optimization (MILP-based)
• Techno-economic assessment (Levelized costs of ammonia)
• Spatially explicit global analysis (1° × 1° resolution)
• Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (Brightway 2.5)
• Prospective assessment (2050 scenarios using premise and IAM pathways)

The model evaluates trade-offs between:

• Levelized ammonia production costs (€/tNH₃)
• Life cycle GHG emissions (tCO₂-eq/tNH₃)
• Resource requirements (e.g., land and materials)
• Grid dependence and decarbonization exposure
• Operational flexibility constraints
• Technology learning and financing assumptions

The framework is modular, scalable, and designed for large-scale scenario analysis and high-performance computing environments.

Contributions are welcome!
For major suggestions, collaborations, or structural changes, please contact:

Tom Terlouw
tom.terlouw@psi.ch

This repository was developed under the TRANSIENCE project:
https://www.transience.eu/