South Korean firms plan Queensland ammonia, H2 exports
A consortium of South Korean firms have set up a venture in Australia's Queensland state to develop a supply chain to ship more than 1mn t/yr of green ammonia from Australia to South Korea in 2032.
The group comprises mining firm Korea Zinc and its Australia-based subsidiary Ark Energy and conglomerates Hanwha Impact and SK Gas. The partners plan to build upon Ark Energy's Collinsville green energy hub, which plans to develop 3,000MW of renewable energy, said Queensland energy minister Mick de Brenni.
Korea Zinc already has a presence in northern Queensland through its 100pc owned Sun Metals zinc refinery in Townsville, which Korea Zinc plans to operate fully on renewable energy by 2040 and on 80pc renewable energy by 2030. The firm set up Ark Energy in 2021 to help the refinery with its energy transition. Ark Energy has set up the SunHQ hydrogen hub powered by a 124MW solar farm that will power the zinc refinery.
The consortium brings together three major firms in South Korea's hydrogen economy that have a forecast demand for more than 2mn t/yr of green ammonia from 2030, said Korea Zinc vice-chairman Yun B Choi. "We look forward to working with our partners to unlock Australia's potential to become a large-scale producer and exporter of green hydrogen and its derivatives including green ammonia," said Choi.
The latest venture follows the signing last year by Korea Zinc with Townsville port about exporting 120,000t of renewable hydrogen to South Korea from the port.
The Queensland government is keen to promote the state as a potential exporter of green hydrogen and green ammonia. The state launched a A$2bn ($1.34bn) fund to finance renewable energy and hydrogen projects given its potential as a significant producer of solar energy.
Queensland has around 28 projects in the planning stage to produce hydrogen and/or ammonia, largely from renewable energy. South Korean and Japanese firms have been the most active foreign investors in Australia-based hydrogen projects, as both countries have limited capacity to produce green hydrogen and both seek pathways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
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New technologies aim to boost SAF production
New technologies aim to boost SAF production
London, 26 April (Argus) — A likely rise in global demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), underpinned by mandates for its use, is encouraging development of new production pathways. While hydrotreated esters and fatty acids synthesised paraffinic kerosine (HEFA-SPK) remains the most common type of SAF available today, much more production will be needed. The International Air Transport Association (Iata) estimated SAF output at around 500,000t in 2023, and expects this to rise to 1.5mn t this year, but that only meets around 0.5pc of global jet fuel demand. An EU-wide SAF mandate will come into effect in 2025 that will set a minimum target of 2pc, with a sub-target for synthetic SAF starting from 2030. This week the UK published its domestic SAF mandate , also targeting a 2pc SAF share in 2025 and introducing a power-to-liquid (PtL) obligation from 2028. New pathways involve different technology to unlock use of a wider feedstock base. US engineering company Honeywell said this week its hydrocracking technology, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Unicracking, can be used to produce SAF from biomass such as crop residue or wood and food waste. Renewable fuels producer DG Fuels will use the technology for its SAF facility in Louisiana, US. The plant will be able to produce 13,000 b/d of SAF starting from 2028, Honeywell said. The company said its SAF technologies — which include ethanol-to-jet , which converts cellulosic ethanol into SAF — have been adopted at more than 50 sites worldwide including Brazil and China. Honeywell is part of the Google and Boeing-backed United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund , which is aimed at scaling up SAF production. German alternative fuels company Ineratec said this week it will use South African integrated energy firm Sasol's FT catalysts for SAF production. The catalysts will be used in Ineratec's plants, including a PtL facility it is building in Frankfurt, Germany. The plant will be able to produce e-fuels from green hydrogen and CO2, with a capacity of 2,500 t/yr of e-fuels beginning in 2024. The e-fuels will then be processed into synthetic SAF. Earlier this month , ethanol-to-jet producer LanzaJet said it has received funding from technology giant Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund, "to continue building its capability and capacity to deploy its sustainable fuels process technology globally". The producer recently signed a licence and engineering agreement with sustainable fuels company Jet Zero Australia to progress development of an SAF plant in north Queensland, Australia. The plant will have capacity of 102mn l/yr of SAF. Polish oil firm Orlen formed a partnership with Japanese electrical engineering company Yakogawa to develop SAF technology . They aim to develop a technological process to synthesise CO2 and hydrogen to form PtL SAF. The SAF will be produced from renewable hydrogen as defined by the recast EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and bio-CO2 from biomass boilers, Orlen told Argus . By Evelina Lungu Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan’s Mol starts operating LPG-fuelled VLGC
Japan’s Mol starts operating LPG-fuelled VLGC
Tokyo, 26 April (Argus) — Japanese shipping firm Mitsui OSK Line's (Mol) Singapore-based subsidiary Aramo Shipping started operating today a new LPG-fuelled LPG and ammonia carrier for domestic importer Gyxis. The 87,119m³ very large gas carrier (VLGC) Aquamarine Progress 2 was built by Japanese shipbuilder Namura Shipbuilding at Namura's Imari shipyard in south Japan's Saga prefecture. The vessel is equipped with a dual-fuel engine, which can burn LPG and conventional marine fuel. Mol expects use of LPG to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide emissions by 20pc and sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions by 90pc compared with a heavy oil-dedicated vessel. The VLGC is also designed to be able to carry ammonia, eyeing potential demand growth for decarbonisation. Japanese shipping firms and shipbuilders have boosted construction of LPG carriers that can also ship ammonia, as demand for the cleaner fuel is expected to increase in future. Japan plans to co-fire ammonia at coal-fired power plants to reduce CO2 emissions, while aiming to use ammonia as a hydrogen carrier. Shipbuilders Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries each delivered a VLGC, which can carry LPG and liquefied ammonia. Mol, in partnership with shipbuilders Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, completed risk assessments to design a mid-size ammonia-fuelled ammonia and LPG carrier , targeting to finish construction by 2026. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK publishes SAF mandate, targets 22pc by 2040
UK publishes SAF mandate, targets 22pc by 2040
London, 25 April (Argus) — The UK will mandate the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from next year, targeting a 2pc share in 2025, which equates to around 230,000t of SAF according to the government, and increasing the obligation annually to 10pc in 2030, 15pc in 2035 and 22pc in 2040. The obligation, which falls on the jet fuel supplier, will remain at 22pc from 2040 until it is reviewed and updated, the UK said. The mandate is subject to parliamentary approval. An EU-wide SAF obligation is also due to come into effect next year, targeting a 2pc SAF share in 2025, increasing to 6pc from 2030, 20pc from 2035, 34pc from 2040, 42pc from 2045 and 70pc in 2050. Under the new UK mandate, hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) SAF can be used to meet 100pc of SAF demand in 2025 and 2026, but it will be capped at 71pc in 2030 and 35pc in 2040. HEFA is the most common type of SAF today, and is expected to account for over 70pc of global production by the end of the decade, according to Argus data. An obligation for Power-to-Liquid (PtL) SAF will be introduced from 2028 at 0.2pc of total jet fuel demand, rising to 0.5pc in 2030 and 3.5pc in 2040. The EU is targeting a 1.2pc share of synthetic aviation fuels in 2030, rising to 2pc in 2032, 5pc in 2035 and 35pc in 2050. To be eligible under the mandate, SAFs must achieve minimum greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 40pc compared with a fossil fuel jet comparator of 89g CO2e/MJ, and must be made from sustainable wastes or residues, such as used cooking oil or forestry residues. SAF from food, feed or energy crops is currently not eligible for support under the scheme, the government said. PtL SAF will need to be produced from low carbon — renewable or nuclear — electricity. Recycled carbon fuels (RCF) from feedstocks like unrecyclable plastics can also be used to meet the obligation. Hydrogen, whether used as fuel precursor or as final fuel, must be bio-hydrogen from wastes and residues, RCF hydrogen or derived from low carbon energy. The mandate will also introduce tradeable certificates for the supply of SAF, with additional certificates awarded for fuels with higher GHG emissions savings. There will be three types of certificates: PtL, standard and HEFA. Buy-out mechanisms will be set at the equivalent of £4.70/l and £5.00/l for the main and PtL obligations, respectively. Formal reviews of the mandate will be conducted and published at least every five years, with the first to be carried out by 2030, the government said. The mandate will be separate from the country's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). In tandem with the publication of the SAF mandate, the government launched a consultation on four options for an SAF revenue certainty scheme aimed at guaranteeing revenue from SAF and support production in the country. The UK previously said it aims to introduce the mechanism, which will be industry funded, by the end of 2026 . The consultation includes a preferred option for a "guaranteed strike price" (GSP), which would guarantee a pre-agreed price of SAF supplied into the UK market. By Giulia Squadrin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Norway-German H2 pipeline hinges on demand: Equinor
Norway-German H2 pipeline hinges on demand: Equinor
London, 24 April (Argus) — Norway and Germany have renewed a commitment to the idea of a hydrogen pipeline, but Norwegian state-owned Equinor expects the link will come in a secondary stage of development as it is focused on hydrogen production in mainland Europe as a first step. Equinor plans to take a final investment decision in late 2025 on its 210,000 t/yr Eemshaven low-carbon hydrogen plant in the Netherlands, the company's director of H2 northwest Europe Henrik Solgaard Andersen said at the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells conference in Hanover. Equinor hopes the project will supply German buyers that participate in the country's carbon contracts for difference (CfD) auctions, which are designed to help large industry decarbonise, Andersen said. Equinor has entered the final phase of studies for the plant. The facility would reform natural gas from the Norwegian offshore to hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Undertaking this in the Netherlands means existing pipelines can be used to carry the gas from Norway rather than having to build new links. Equinor sees this as its most mature hydrogen project, followed by one near the German port of Rostock , and one near Ghent in Belgium , according to Andersen. These "local European projects" are designed for early market development and "will be the first step," he said. Equinor expects to start large-scale production of hydrogen in Norway with pipeline exports to the continent only when there is a big enough market, he said. "You don't invest in a pipeline €4bn-6bn just for [transporting] a few molecules," he said. "You need to believe in the market." Equinor in early 2023 announced a plan to supply hydrogen from Norway to German utility RWE for use in power plants. But Berlin has shifted its plans for hydrogen power a couple of times since then. It also has ambitions to use hydrogen in sectors like steel, but companies have not yet taken firm investment decisions, meaning there is uncertainty about how much hydrogen demand will materialise and when. A joint government task force working on a Norwegian-German pipeline has identified the first regulatory barriers that need to be addressed, and private infrastructure companies will continue to study the logistics, according to an announcement from Oslo and Berlin. This will build on the positive feasibility study from last year. German gas system operator operator Gascade, which is developing the AquaDuctus North Sea pipeline connection to Germany, and Norwegian state-owned operator Gassco that is developing the Norwegian side, are aiming for a 2030 start date, the companies reaffirmed this week. Gascade has proposed an open access pipeline that would be able to aggregate hydrogen exports from England, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, and North Sea wind farms. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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