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Japan firms test ammonia for power,

petrochemical decarbonisation

ENERGY JERA, Japan’s largest power generation com- the use of fuel ammonia at its Hekinan thermal
TRANSITION pany, announced on February 18 that it would power plant (TPP), with the intention to switch
carry out an international competitive bid to 20% of the fuel at Unit 4 to ammonia by the late
procure fuel ammonia that would be used in the 2020s. JERA said it aims to use a 20% ammonia
company’s coal-fired plants for the purpose of fuel mix at all its coal-fired plants by 2035 and
decarbonisation. develop technology to enable a 100% switch to
In its Request for Proposals (RfP), which it ammonia in the 2040s. Local media
sent to more than 30 companies, JERA specified Meanwhile, local media report that a group
that it is seeking a supply of up to 500,000 tonnes of Japanese firms intend to demonstrate the use report that
per year (tpy) under a long-term contract begin- of fuel ammonia to operate a naphtha cracker.
ning in the 2027 fiscal year and extending into Mitsui Chemicals will use fuel ammonia at its a group of
the 2040s. It specified that as a rule the carbon Osaka ethylene cracker, while Maruzen Pet-
dioxide (CO2) involved is either not generated rochemical will do the same at its Chiba facil- Japanese
during ammonia production or is captured and ity. Toyo Engineering will build the test and firms intend to
stored, and also that JERA has the option to par- demonstration cracker and auxiliary facilities,
ticipate in production projects. and Sojitz Machinery will develop and build a demonstrate
“Under its ‘JERA Zero CO2 Emissions fuel burner.
2050’ objective, JERA has been working to The four companies have received $202mn in the use of
reduce CO2 emissions from its domestic and subsidies from Nedo, Japan’s state-run research
overseas businesses to zero by 2050, to pro- and development institute, to undertake the pro- fuel ammonia
mote the adoption of greener fuels, and to ject, which they will conduct until 2031. By that to operate a
pursue thermal power that does not emit CO2 time, the companies plan to develop a naphtha
during power generation,” the company said in cracker fuelled entirely by ammonia. Currently naphtha cracker.
its request. the naphtha crackers use methane-based gas to
JERA produces around 30% of Japan’s elec- operate.
tricity with power generation assets totalling Japan is expected to require 3mn tpy of
some 75 GW capacity, and it operates eight LNG ammonia by 2030 as part of its switch to low
import terminals. emission energy, and is projected to need 30mn
The company said it plans to demonstrate tpy by 2050.™

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