The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has published a regional strategy to decarbonise the power generation ecosystem in the Chugoku region, Japan. The strategy predicts the region will require more than 3 million tons of fuel ammonia by 2030, and highlights several ongoing industrial initiatives to demonstrate the use of ammonia fuel & establish local import infrastructure.
Approved by the national cabinet, the draft law aims to create a legal framework for rapid development and expansion of hydrogen infrastructure, including ammonia import and cracking facilities. Relevant planning, approval and procurement procedures will be simplified and digitalized where possible, and projects covered by the Act will also be considered in the “overriding public interest”, with some important caveats. Germany’s national cabinet also approved a CCS Act this month, aimed at decarbonising hard-to-abate industrial processes.
The American Bureau of Shipping, Fleet Management Limited, Sumitomo Corporation, TOTE Services and CALAMCO will explore the feasibility of ship-to-ship bunkering at the Ports of Oakland and Benicia, leveraging CALAMCO’s existing ammonia import and storage terminal at the Port of Stockton.
Last month, two Class VI permits were officially issued by the US EPA, allowing WVR to construct two wells for injection and storage of CO2 underground. CCS hydrogen will feed a 500,000 tons per year ammonia plant - a significant percentage of the fertiliser currently used within the USA’s Eastern Corn Belt.
Two new Bills make up a “hydrogen promotion” package submitted to the Japanese parliament. The “Hydrogen Society Promotion Bill”, sets up a framework for awarding subsidies under the GX bonds scheme (a contracts-for-difference program), while the “CCS Business Bill” sets out permitting and monitoring requirements for domestic CCS projects in Japan.
In our latest episode of Ammonia Project Features, we explored Project Iracema: a grid-connected, renewable ammonia production facility under-development in Pecem, northeast Brazil. To discuss Brazil’s unique electricity market, project details and the important role of certification to the project, AEA Technology Manager Kevin Rouwenhorst was joined by Jonas Rechreche (Proton Ventures), Matheus Kleming (Casa dos Ventos) and Ricardo Gedra (CCEE).
For producers to qualify for 45V tax credits, the US Treasury has proposed a set of new rules for renewable hydrogen that closely align with EU standards. The three pillars approach already adopted by the EU is proposed, as is the use of Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model for lifecycle emissions analysis.
For our final episode of Maritime Ammonia Insights, we take stock of the progress of marine ammonia fuel to date, and ask what comes next. Meet Fürstenberg Maritime Advisory to learn about upcoming key decision points at the IMO, communications strategies for marine ammonia, current safety gaps, and priorities for 2024 as we work towards the first demonstrations of marine ammonia fuel.
For our final episode of Maritime Ammonia Insights, we asked our resident experts Sofia and Conor Fürstenberg Stott to provide their insights on the pathway forward for marine ammonia fuel. Discussion topics included challenges for overlaying alternative fuels onto the existing bunker industry, the importance of seafarers to the transition, and why we need to move beyond talking about competition between alternative fuel candidates.
A series of flagship hydrogen initiatives were launched at COP28 last month. The initiatives are headlined by a 37-country joint declaration on mutual recognition of certification schemes, a response to sustained calls for increased global regulatory consistency. Additionally, the new ISO methodology for calculating hydrogen emissions was unveiled, paving the way for harmonisation.