A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific, Jurong Port and JERA Asia to explore the establishment of a 100% ammonia direct combustion power plant on Jurong Island in Singapore.
Under the newly signed MoU, the partners will conduct a joint study which will see a 60MW class gas turbine combined cycle plant being set up and fueled by 100% ammonia to produce carbon-neutral electricity. The group aims to stimulate ammonia demand to be ready for ammonia bunkering further down the line.
With the Singapore government having set new targets to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by or around 2050, the project aligns with the country’s decarbonization goals. Ammonia is currently viewed as the main maritime bunkering fuel of the future, and under the MoU, the group will explore the viability and commercialization of ammonia for this purpose.
“We feel this MoU could help pave the way for encouraging the adoption of hydrogen in Singapore through aggregation of demand across multiple sectors, mainly the power sector and the maritime sector, thereby addressing the chicken-and-egg conundrum of infrastructure versus demand needs for maritime and domestic power generation,” said Ooi Boon Hoe, chief executive officer, Jurong Port. “This collaboration is certainly consistent with the spirit of reinforcing Singapore’s premier bunkering hub status – for current, transition and future fuels.”
Osamu Ono, the managing director of MHI-AP, said, “Ammonia, which consists of hydrogen and nitrogen, is a highly efficient hydrogen carrier and can be directly combusted as a carbon neutral fuel, thereby contributing to the establishment of a robust hydrogen value chain. At MHI, we believe that ammonia and hydrogen are key fuels that can help countries meet their net zero goals, and this MoU is an exciting opportunity for us to contribute our technology and expertise to achieve sustainable development in Singapore and subsequently realize the global sustainability agenda.”