JERA: Ammonia is used for coal-fired power generation: Hekinan Thermal Power Station
-Removing nitrogen oxides with Japan’s technology-
JERA:
With decarbonization, the Japan’s is paying attention to ammonia.
The thermal power plant constructed in the past is
Currently, We use coal,
In the future, we will change to ammonia.
Expectations for ammonia power generation are greater than for solar and offshore wind.
Japan’s energy industry:
“Ammonia” is a unique technology that the Japanese energy industry expects.
The chemical formula of ammonia is NH3.
Even if you burn this
CO2 does not come out
This merit is attracting attention.
JERA Plan:
Utilizing ammonia for thermal power generation,
JERA is responsible for about half of the thermal power generation that accounts for 40% of Japan’s CO2 emissions.
Declared carbon neutrality by 2050.
Achieve “zero emission thermal power” by 2050.
Thermal power generation with ammonia and hydrogen:
We aim for thermal power generation with ammonia and hydrogen that do not emit CO₂.
Current thermal power generation:
There are two types, one that uses coal as fuel and the other that uses LNG.
“Boiler type”
Power plants that use coal are “boiler type”
“Turbine type”
Power plants that use LNG are called “turbine type”.
Future thermal power generation:
“Boiler type”
The fuel for boiler-type power plants will be changed from coal to ammonia.
“Turbine type”
Turbine-type fuel will be changed from coal to hydrogen.
Ammonia and hydrogen do not emit CO2.
JERA
Vice President Hisae Okuda
By mixing ammonia and hydrogen with coal and LNG and burning them, CO2 can be reduced while maintaining the same amount of power generation.
We think that this combination is the fastest and cheapest decarbonization of thermal power.
JERA mixed combustion experiment:
June 2021
Ammonia co-firing experiment started with fuel from Hekinan Thermal Power Station in Aichi Prefecture.
During 2024
We are aiming to raise the mixed combustion ratio to 20%.
Until 2030
It is said that all inefficient coal-fired power will be abolished.
Until 2050
By connecting to “special firing” that burns only ammonia, CO2 emissions are reduced to zero.
The key is
Keeping the existing power generation equipment alive
It is to contribute to CO2 reduction.
Joint with Asian countries:
Like Japan, it still depends heavily on coal-fired power.
Expand ammonia-fired power generation in Southeast Asian countries.
Nitrogen oxide removal technology:
The reason why the introduction of ammonia became an option is
With nitrogen oxide removal technology for air pollutants,
Japan removal technology boasts top class.
Burning ammonia, which is NH3 (adding O2), produces NOx (nitrogen oxides).
It was a bottleneck when using ammonia as fuel.
Japan’s top technology:
“Japan has the best technology in the world that can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions to less than one-tenth that of Europe and the United States,” Okuda said.
PRESIDENT Online
https://president.jp/articles/-/50719?page=3
Accelerate technological development for practical application of ammonia co-firing technology | NEDO