The Toxic Cleaning Chemical That Could Fuel Giant SHIPS

The chemical in your window cleaner might one day power the world's biggest cargo ships.

Ammonia is a smelly, toxic chemical we use to clean. So why are engineers racing to burn it as a fuel?

Ammonia is made of nitrogen and hydrogen, with no carbon at all. That's the key. When you use it as fuel, it can release energy while producing mainly nitrogen and water, and crucially, no carbon dioxide. Even better, ammonia turns to liquid at just minus 33 degrees Celsius, far easier than hydrogen, which needs minus 253. So it's a way to carry hydrogen's energy in a form that's much simpler to store and ship.

Strangely, a liter of liquid ammonia actually contains more hydrogen than a liter of pure liquid hydrogen does. The future of clean shipping might run on the same harsh chemical sitting under your kitchen sink.

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