Jera, IHI speed up ammonia co-firing project in Japan

Japanese utility Jera and engineering firm IHI Corp have decided to advance the startup of the ammonia co-firing project at the Hekinan coal-fired power station unit 4 by one year, Jera said on May 31.

Jera and IHI had begun small-scale use of ammonia at Hekinan unit 5 last year. The project was supposed to run for approximately four years from June 2021 to March 2025 and aimed to achieve an ammonia co-firing rate of 20% at Hekinan unit 4 in fiscal 2024. The small-volume utilisation at unit 5 is for the purpose of developing a co-firing burner to be used for large-volume utilisation at unit 4.

In order to establish the technology as quickly as possible, Jera and IHI have been working to shorten the installation period for the burners, tank, pipes, and other equipment required for the project.

“With these adjustments complete, and in light of the steady progress made by the project, Jera and IHI have decided to move up the start of large-volume co-firing of fuel ammonia at unit 4 of the power station by approximately one year, to FY 2023,” Jera said.