Japanese utility Jera and Singapore port operator Jurong Port are looking at developing a 60MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant that runs on 100pc ammonia on Jurong island in the city-state.
Jera's subsidiary Jera Asia and Jurong Port signed an agreement together with Japanese engineering firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific (MHIAP) on 19 August to jointly study producing carbon-neutral electricity from the 100pc ammonia-fuelled plant. Setting up the plant is also expected to stimulate ammonia demand.
This agreement could "help pave the way for encouraging the adoption of hydrogen in Singapore through aggregation of demand across multiple sectors, mainly the power sector and the maritime sector, thereby addressing the chicken-and-egg conundrum of infrastructure versus demand needs for maritime and domestic power generation," said Jurong Port chief executive Ooi Boon Hoe.
The firms did not provide a targeted start-up date for the plant on Jurong island, which is home to much of Singapore's 1.4mn b/d refining capacity.
The latest agreement builds on an initial deal signed in July 2021 between Jurong Port and MHIAP for a pre-feasibility study on ammonia direct combustion technology for green power generation. The study was completed in March.
"We believe this offers a unique opportunity to support Singapore's decarbonisation efforts while advancing the ammonia technology development for carbon neutral power generation," said Jera Asia chief executive Toshiro Kudama.
Jera launched a demonstration project to co-fire ammonia with domestic engineering firm IHI at its coal-fired power plant in Hekinan city last October. The two companies are targeting commercial co-firing of ammonia at a 20pc rate for power generation at the plant from the April 2024-March 2025 fiscal year onwards. Jera will apply its findings from this ammonia co-firing project to the Jurong island venture.
Singapore is investigating the use of ammonia in its maritime industry as part of its target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore sees port terminals in the city-state reducing emissions by at least 60pc by 2030 from 2005 levels, and for the port of Singapore to supply a variety of low- and zero-carbon fuels such as biofuels, ammonia and potentially hydrogen.
