Page 10 - AsiaElec Week 04 2023

AsiaElec AMMONIA AsiaElec

Japan looks West for help in

setting up ammonia infrastructure

Deals with Norwegian, US firms to help bring Japan up to speed with global ammonia industry

JAPAN LEADING Japanese energy firm JERA has agreed long-term supplier. We are highly committed
a pair of MoUs (memoranda of understanding) to this partnership and look forward to joining
with prominent Western companies known forces with JERA to drive the transformation to
for their work in setting up ammonia-based a net-zero world.”
infrastructure. Yara is currently the world’s largest distribu-
The deals, with Norway based Yara Clean tor of ammonia products, with YCA operating
Ammonia Norge (YCA), a subsidiary of Yara the world’s largest ammonia network consisting
International ASA, as well as CF Industries of 12 ships and 18 ammonia terminals linked to
Holdings in the United States, will enable JERA numerous production sites worldwide.
to work in sync with its overseas partners on Ammonia products can be used as a fuel for
developing, purchasing and ultimately selling cleaner, greener shipping in addition to serv-
clean ammonia. ing as a component in higher rates of food
Speaking after announcing the MoUs, cor- production.
porate vice president of JERA Yukio Kani said Specific points agreed in the signing of the
of the deal with Yara: “We are pleased to work MoUs included the sale and purchase of ammo-
together with Yara on this significant journey nia for use in firing the Hekinan thermal power
towards decarbonising the industry, and I am plant Unit 4, south of Nagoya in central Japan, to
confident that Yara will take an important role the tune of 20% of total capacity required.
in establishing a new clean fuel ammonia value The plant is expected to go online sometime
chain which JERA seeks, through its experience in 2027, although a specific date has yet to be
in the operation throughout the ammonia supply released, with the total volume of ammonia tar-
chain from the production to transportation and geted predicted to by around 500,000 tonnes per
storage in the existing market.” year (tpy).
The initial tender put out by JERA was dated Also agreed in the MoUs was the co-develop-
February 18, 2022, with the time from initial ment of a blue ammonia project currently on the
tender to signing of the MoU seen by some as drawing board but believed to include a final fig-
an indication of the speed at which interest ure of around 1mn tpy. No final location has yet
in ammonia and hydrogen infrastructure is been agreed on the site for this project, although
developing. sources indicate it will be based somewhere on
Addressing the separate MoU with CF the US Gulf Coast.
Industries, Kani added: ”I am confident that Tony Will, the serving president and CEO at
CF Industries’ reliable operational capabilities CF Industries, was similarly pleased to sign the We look forward
that formed its track record for safe and effi- MoU with JERA: “We look forward to helping to helping JERA
cient production as the world’s largest ammonia JERA and Japan meet its clean ammonia require-
producer will profoundly contribute to JERA’s ments, which represent the first significant vol- and Japan
structuring of the clean fuel ammonia value ume of what we believe will be substantial global
chain…” demand for clean ammonia as a clean energy meet its clean
The JERA boss saw his enthusiasm mirrored source” he said, before Kani wrapped up by say-
by Svein Tore Holsether, CEO of Yara Interna- ing: “JERA will continue its own efforts as well ammonia
tional: “I’m very pleased that Yara and JERA are as take hands with our partners in pursuit of our requirements.
signing a MoU for the joint project development, endeavour to realise and accelerate not only the
sales and purchase of clean ammonia. Yara has decarbonisation of the Japanese energy industry
the capacity to produce and ship clean ammonia but also to solve the energy-related issues that the
all over the world and we are a reliable, safe and world is facing.”™

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 04 26 •January•2023