Ministry of Industry Launches 'Hydrogen and Ammonia Power Generation Demonstration Task Force'... Commercialization by 2035

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government has decided to commercialize hydrogen and ammonia power generation by 2035 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will actively promote technology development and demonstration.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy launched the 'Hydrogen and Ammonia Power Generation Demonstration Promotion Team' together with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and power generation public enterprises at KEPCO headquarters in Naju, Jeollanam-do.

Hydrogen and ammonia power generation is a new power generation technology that produces electricity by stably combusting carbon-free fuels hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) in existing coal-fired and liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants. Utilizing this technology can reduce greenhouse gases by using existing power infrastructure such as power generation facilities and transmission and distribution lines, contributing to achieving carbon neutrality.

Ammonia reduces greenhouse gas emissions proportionally as it replaces coal, and hydrogen reduces greenhouse gas emissions proportionally as it replaces LNG.

The Hydrogen and Ammonia Power Generation Demonstration Promotion Team includes the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, power public enterprises, and related private companies. The team plans to complete research and development (R&D) by 2024, including evaluating the limits of hydrogen co-firing (mixed combustion) in gas turbines, developing combustion optimization technologies, and developing eco-friendly ammonia power generation technologies with zero carbon emissions.

They also plan to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen and ammonia co-firing and full combustion power generation targeting domestic coal and LNG power plants. For hydrogen power generation, the phased goals are completing a 150 MW-class 50% co-firing demonstration by 2028, commercializing over 30% co-firing by 2035, and achieving 30?100% co-firing or full combustion by 2040. For ammonia power generation, the plan is to complete a 20% co-firing demonstration by 2027 and apply 20% co-firing power generation to more than half (24 units) of the total 43 coal power plants by 2030 for commercialization.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will build ammonia storage facilities next year to practically apply ammonia co-firing power generation to coal power plants. It will also identify and support improvements in laws and systems related to hydrogen and ammonia power generation, such as providing incentives through eco-friendly certification systems. Additionally, it will work on establishing an international supply chain for stable procurement of hydrogen and ammonia.

Kang Kyungseong, Director of the Energy Industry Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "Hydrogen and ammonia power generation is an essential alternative for achieving carbon neutrality as it minimizes stranded assets of existing power generation facilities and related infrastructure and provides flexibility to respond to the variability of renewable energy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.