2025 Volume 90 Issue 2 Pages 45-49
To achieve zero-emission by 2050, JERA believes that the appropriate approach to achieve both decarbonization and a stable supply of electricity is to expand the introduction of renewable energy and to convert fuel of thermal power that can complement the output fluctuations to reduce CO2 emission.
Therefore, JERA is actively working on the development of hydrogen and ammonia-related technologies for the introduction of zero-emission thermal power plants, along with the expansion of renewable energy.
In 2024, JERA and IHI Corporation conducted the world’s first demonstration test of 20% fuel ammonia conversion at a large-scale commercial coal-fired power plant at the Hekinan Thermal Power Plant with the support by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization （NEDO）.
The test results were good, and 20% conversion of ammonia was achieved at the rated output of 1000 MW as planned. Compared to 100% coal combustion, volume of CO2 and SOx was reduced by 20%, NOx was less than the same, and no generation of N2O was confirmed.
In the future, JERA will continue to work toward commercial operation of ammonia-fired power plants and develop technologies to expand conversion rate or 100% combustion of hydrogen and ammonia.
JERA will lead the establishment of a hydrogen and ammonia supply chain by utilizing the know-how that JERA has gained from participating in entire value chains from fuel upstream to power generation toward the realization of a hydrogen society.
Furthermore, by leveraging the large-scale demand of hydrogen and ammonia as a power generation fuel and developing the infrastructure for hydrogen and ammonia, JERA and its partners will work to expand the supply chain, including promoting its use in industries.
