Mitsubishi Heavy to work on ammonia co-firing at Taiwan power plant

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has reached an agreement with the Taiwanese state-owned Taiwan Power Company (TPC) to conduct a study on introducing ammonia co-firing at the Linkou thermal power plant in New Taipei, it said on November 17.

The aim of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two companies is to reduce coal consumption. The Linkou power plant is located approximately 20 km west of central Taipei. It comprises three coal-fired boilers and steam turbines supplied by MHI, with a total output capacity of 2.4 GW.

The first phase of the project through 2025 will be to conduct a basic study for 5% ammonia co-firing. MHI and Mitsubishi Corporation Machinery will consider and supply ammonia burners and other equipment and systems necessary for ammonia co-firing.

Mitsubishi Corporation will conduct a study on building a supply chain to secure a stable supply of clean fuel ammonia. The second phase of the project from 2026 will be to use one of the units at the Linkou plant for verification, with the aim of 5% ammonia co-firing in 2028 to 2030, raising the co-firing ratio to 20% and implementing the system for the plant’s other units.

Taiwan is looking to reduce environmental loads and achieve decarbonisation for its thermal power generation facilities that use coal and gas as fuel. In March 2022, it published the ‘Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050’, citing energy transition as an important strategy for establishing a zero-carbon energy system.

Mixed firing of coal and ammonia is one of the potential decarbonisation technologies expected to provide a significant effect in Taiwan, MHI said.