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【Report】”Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing in the power sector”

Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing in the power sector:
Japan is choosing to expand fossil-fuel extraction and perpetuate coal and LNG

 

On October 27, Kiko Network released the position paper “Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing in the power sector”, which points out problems with the utilization of hydrogen and ammonia as fuels for thermal power generation.

Under the Paris Agreement, each country has set a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and Japan has also announced that it will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The question is what is the path toward carbon neutrality and how to achieve it. Japan has not set a specific plan for 2050 and is trying to maintain thermal power generation, especially coal-fired power generation, which emits large amounts of CO2, by introducing new technologies.

The government is already heavily subsidizing the research and development of technologies to use hydrogen and ammonia as fuels with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, first by co-firing them with coal and gas, and eventually by co-firing hydrogen and ammonia exclusively. However, most hydrogen and ammonia is currently produced from natural gas and coal (lignite) in Southeast Asia, North America, Russia, and Australia, and promoting their use would be a detour on the pathway to coal-free energy.

This position paper summarizes the position of thermal power generation of hydrogen and ammonia, the Japanese government’s policies to encourage their use, and issues to be addressed.

Included in the paper:

  • The position of hydrogen/ammonia utilization in electric power generation
  • The government’s policies to encourage to use hydrogen/ammonia for electric power generation
  • Promotors of use of hydrogen/ammonia
  • Problems with using hydrogen/ammonia as fuel
  • Environmental issues regarding hydrogen/ammonia production
  • CO2 emissions from hydrogen/ammonia combustion
  • Cost issues of utilizing hydrogen/ammonia for power generation
  • Analysis of whether or not utilization of hydrogen/ammonia for power generation can lead to a real coal exit

 

Report Download

  • Direct Download: Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing in the power sector: Japan is choosing to expand fossil-fuel extraction and perpetuate coal and LNG (PDF Download)
  • Kiko Network: [Position Paper] Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing in the power sector: Japan is choosing to expand fossil-fuel extraction and perpetuate coal and LNG (Website Link)

 

Written / Published by : Kiko Network
Published : October 27, 2021