In marine ammonia news to begin 2024, we explore a volume-efficient, “prismatic” ammonia fuel tank design, a new long-term charter for ammonia shipping in the Pacific region, and two global gas exporters ordering ammonia-capable carriers for their fleets.
The Indian government has launched a new incentive scheme for renewable ammonia, aiming to support the production of 550,000 tonnes per year from 2027. The news comes as the first winners of subsidies for renewable hydrogen production & domestic electrolyser manufacturing were announced. In December, the government also amended an existing scheme to provide financial assistance for new-build vessels powered by green fuels, including ammonia.
GE Vernova and IHI Corporation will proceed to the engineering and testing phase for their ammonia gas turbine roadmap for Asia. Based on their efforts in 2022 to demonstrate a low-N2O combustor for a 2 MW, 100% ammonia-fired turbine, IHI will lead development of a two-stage combustor for larger-scale gas turbine models.
ACME and IHI have signed an offtake agreement for the supply of renewable ammonia from the pair’s under-development production plant in Odisha, eastern India. On a long-term basis, 400,000 tons per year will be transported, with production to begin in 2027. A number of other Indian production projects were launched this month.
US-based Syzygy Plasmonics announced successful final tests of its light-powered ammonia cracking technology. More than 1,500 hours of testing have validated the production of hydrogen from ammonia in the reactor cell, which is now available to order as a stacked, 5 tons per day capacity system.
AustriaEnergy, Ökowind and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ HNH Energy project in southern Chile will expand to a second phase, featuring a tripling of onshore wind capacity to 5 GW. Construction is due to start in 2025.
In a 4-year partnership, PTT Global Chemical will collaborate with MHI to explore the feasibility of a large scale carbon neutral petrochemical complex in Thailand, powered by low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia-fueled gas turbines.
Tsubame BHB will partner with Agri Laos and State Enterprise for Agriculture Service to produce low-carbon fertiliser for domestic use, and potentially exports.
As another year passes, AEA President Hans Vrijenhoef looks back on the successes of the year just past. Ammonia energy is now firmly on the radar in Europe - including the first projects dedicated to power generation. And, with so many import/export projects underway, now is the time to collaborate and kick start the growth of the industry.
MAN Energy Solutions has announced that the first SCR catalytic converter for a marine ammonia engine has passed factory tests and been delivered to Japan. Produced in China by stainless steel specialists BUTTING, the unit is designed to significantly reduce NOx emissions from ammonia combustion engines.