JERA and IHI Start a Demonstration Project of Technology to Increase the Ammonia Co-firing Rate at Hekinan Thermal Power Station2022/01/07

JERA Co., Inc. (“JERA”) and IHI Corporation (“IHI”) have received notice of acceptance of their grant application, under the Green Innovation Fund program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (“NEDO”), to conduct a project to develop and demonstrate technology that increases the ammonia co-firing rate at coal-fired power plants (the “Project”).

Ammonia enables efficient, low-cost transport and storage of hydrogen. In addition to this role as an energy carrier, it can also be used directly as a fuel in thermal power generation. As a fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide when burned, ammonia is expected to offer great advantages in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, JERA and IHI are working under a NEDO grant program on a demonstration project of technology that employs an ammonia co-firing rate of 20% at JERA’s Hekinan Thermal Power Station Unit 4.

In order to achieve a decarbonized society, it is important to reduce CO₂ emissions from thermal power generation by innovating to increase the co-firing rate of fuel ammonia. The objective of this Project is to develop a new ammonia co-firing burner and to install it at Hekinan Thermal Power Station Unit 4 or Unit 5 in order to raise the ammonia co-firing rate to at least 50%. The term of the Project is approximately 8 years from FY 2021 to FY 2028.

By FY 2024, JERA and IHI will develop a new burner capable of co-firing at least 50% ammonia and consider specifications for boilers and other equipment. Based on the results, the two companies will decide whether to install the burners at the Hekinan Thermal Power Station. If the burners are installed, plans call for co-firing with at least 50% ammonia at the actual power plant to begin by FY 2028.

Under its “JERA Zero CO₂ Emissions 2050” objective, JERA has been working to reduce CO₂ emissions from its domestic and overseas businesses to zero by 2050, promoting the adoption of greener fuels and pursuing thermal power that does not emit CO₂ during power generation. JERA will continue to contribute to energy industry decarbonization through its own proactive efforts to develop decarbonization technologies while ensuring economic rationality.

IHI is actively promoting the development of hydrogen and ammonia utilization technologies and the establishment of related supply chains. IHI is also contributing to the realization of a CO₂-free and recycling-oriented society by offering a variety of solutions for achieving carbon neutrality such as carbon recycling technologies for the effective use of CO₂.