JERA and MHI technology to increase ammonia co-firing rate at coal-fired boilers

JERA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have been informed that their grant application for a project to develop and demonstrate a technology to increase the ammonia co-firing rate at coal-fired boilers has been approved through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization’s Green Innovation Fund program.

Hydrogen can be transported and stored efficiently and cheaply using ammonia. When it comes to producing heat, it can be either a carrier for energy or used directly as a fuel in the process. Ammonia, a fuel that doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide when burned, could have a significant impact on lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The co-firing rate of fuel ammonia must be increased in order to reduce CO2 emissions from thermal power generation and move toward a decarbonized society.

An ammonia single-fuel burner for coal-fired boilers is the goal of this project. The burner will be tested and demonstrated in actual boilers. Between the fiscal years of FY 2021 and FY 2028, the Project will be in operation.

A new burner capable of single-fuel ammonia combustion will be developed by JERA and MHI by the end of FY 2024 and a master plan will be drawn up to demonstrate its use in boilers. For JERA’s coal-fired boilers, both companies will decide whether to use MHI’s burners. JERA and MHI plan to demonstrate co-firing with at least 50% ammonia at two different boiler types by FY 2028 for the actual plant demonstrations.

When it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, JERA has set a 2050 deadline of zero emissions from its domestic and international operations. To achieve this goal, JERA is encouraging the use of cleaner fuels and pursuing the use of thermal power that doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide emissions during the generation of electric power. Through its own proactive efforts to develop decarbonization technologies while maintaining economic rationality, JERA will keep making contributions to the decarbonization of the energy industry in the United States and abroad.

“MISSION NET ZERO” is MHI’s commitment to a carbon-neutral society, which it will achieve by working with partners around the world and utilizing its products, technologies, and services that can reduce CO2 emissions.