State-run utility Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) on Wednesday signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s Mitsubishi Group on conducting a demonstration project mixing ammonia with coal for power generation at Linkou Power Plant in New Taipei.
The cooperation project aims to achieve 5 percent co-firing of ammonia at the coal-fired power plant in Linkou by 2030 before eventually increasing the use of ammonia to 20 percent, Taipower said.
If the 5 percent ammonia co-firing target is reached, it is expected to help Linkou Power Plant reduce carbon emissions by 9,000 tonnes per year, according to Taipower.
Emissions reduction in the power sector plays an important role in Taiwan’s efforts to reach its net-zero emissions goal by 2050.
Taipower continues to promote the coal-to-gas shift of coal-fired power plants, energy storage, and renewable energy, which also includes co-burning ammonia together with coal at coal-fired power plants, Taipower President Wang Yao-ting (王耀庭) said during the signing ceremony.
At the event, Toshiyuki Hashi, CEO of Gas Power at Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand, said that Taiwan and Japan face common challenges in fuel imports and development of renewable energy, adding that he believes through collaboration the two countries can foster and accelerate effective energy transition.
In addition, Hiroki Haba, chief operating officer of Next Generation Fuels & Petroleum Business Division at Mitsubishi Corp., said the Japanese business group plans to spend 1.2 trillion Japanese yen (US$7.18 billion) to develop next generation energy technologies.
As part of that approach the company is seeking to make the ammonia-coal co-firing technology used in the demonstration project with Taipower more cost competitive, he added.
Under the MoU, the two companies will first conduct an ammonia co-firing technology feasibility and stability assessment with the aim of achieving 5 percent ammonia co-firing at Linkou coal plant by 2030, according to Taipower spokesperson Wu Chin-chung (吳進忠).
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel