The Australian government’s new Hydrogen Headstart program will invest AUD2 billion across the full value chain, with select projects to receive production credits to bridge the cost gap between conventional and renewable hydrogen. The government has also initiated a review of Australia’s national hydrogen strategy.
Nine key shipping stakeholders have joined the Global Maritime Forum to issue a joint statement, committing to develop and implement “robust book and claim chain of custody systems” that will accelerate the uptake of new maritime fuels like ammonia.
In an interview with media outlet TradeWinds, MAN Energy Solutions has indicated that a detailed testing program for its two-stroke marine ammonia engine began last week in Copenhagen. With safe, sustainable operations paramount, MAN is aiming for the test engine to operate on 100% ammonia fuel in all four cylinders by 2025.
The Norway-based technology developer has announced successful testing of a 6 kW, ammonia-fed solid oxide fuel cell unit. The test unit is seen as the “first building block” of a larger 100 kW module to be stacked & used for marine propulsion.
The US Department of Energy has launched a new scheme to help “catalyze durable, bankable demand” for clean hydrogen & ammonia production. A request for information notice seeks feedback on potential demand-side measures the US government could implement to complement the regional Hydrogen Hubs program.
Australia’s national research organisation CSIRO is contributing valuable R&D across the hydrogen and ammonia value chains. At Ammonia Energy APAC 2023, we’ll hear updates on some key ammonia energy projects at CSIRO: small-scale production, combustion engines, and fuel cells, as well as an ongoing partnership with Fortescue Future Industries to develop & deploy metal membrane technology for ammonia cracking systems.
Chinese automotive manufacturer GAC Group has unveiled its first ammonia-powered, 120 kW engine for passenger cars at a recent showcase event in Guangzhou.
A joint study into ammonia safety onboard three different vessel types has found that safety risks of ammonia fuel can be mitigated, but only if technical safeguards are implemented and key “human factors” are addressed. The new report sets out a series of recommendations to ensure acceptable risk levels for crew on-board ammonia-fueled vessels.
Yara and Bunker Holding will look to accelerate the supply of ammonia bunker fuel to first movers in the shipping industry, focusing on key trading routes and port locations. In Norway, Equinor and Azane Fuel Solutions will undertake a new project, aiming to demonstrate how Norway’s offshore sector can be decarbonised by 2030 via the use of clean ammonia fuel.