S Korea to Push Hydrogen Ammonia Pwr Gen Project, Replace Coal, LNG

The Korean government will promote the commercialisation of hydrogen and ammonia co-firing power generation to replace coal and liquefied natural gas power generation.

The government is planning to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by commercialising ammonia co-firing power plant by 2030 (20 per cent) and hydrogen by 2025 (more than 30 per cent).

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on November 16 that it has launched the ‘Hydrogen-Ammonia Power Generation Demonstration Promotion Team’ presided over by Director General for Energy Innovation Policy. Along with the MOTIE and state-run electricity corporations, private companies will participate in all activities from hydrogen and ammonia production to securing, transportation, and storage of the promotion team.

At the meeting, various agendas, including ‘Updated 2030 NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution)’ released by the government last month and current status and promotion plans of hydrogen and ammonia power generation technologies included in ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality Roadmaps,’ were discussed.

The hydrogen-ammonia co-firing power generation is a new technology that generates electricity by stably burning carbon-free fuels hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) in existing coal and LNG generators.

It can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using existing infrastructure such as power generation facilities and power distribution lines. As ammonia can replace in proportion to coal and hydrogen can replace LNG (/topic/lng), reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Korea raised ammonia power proportion to 3.6 per cent (22.1TWh) of total power generation in 2030 in the Updated 2030 NDC target. In the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Roadmaps, the government also reflected carbon-free gas turbine power generation such
as hydrogen and ammonia as 13.8-21.5 per cent of the total power generation in 2050.

The promotion team is planning to complete research and development (R&D) of ‘Gas Turbine Hydrogen Co-firing Power Generation Limitations Assessment and Combustion Optimisation Technology Development’ and ‘Carbon-Free Eco-Friendly Ammonia Power Technology Development’ by 2024.

In addition, it is aiming to complete the demonstration of 150MW-capacity 50 per cent hydrogen co-firing power generation by 2028. It is also planning to commercialise the co- firing power generation more than 30 per cent by 2035 and generate power by 30-100 per cent co-firing in 2040.

For ammonia power generation, it will complete the demonstration of 20 per cent co- firing power generation by 2027. And then, it will commercialise it by applying 20 per cent co-firing power generation to more than half (24 units) of all coal power generators (43 units).

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy will estabilish an ammonia storage facility in 2022 to practically apply ammonia co-firing power generation to coal power generation. It will also support improvements in hydrogen-ammonia power generation laws and systems, including incentives through the eco-friendly certification system.

In addition, it is planning to lead the establishment of an international supply chain to enhance energy security, such as stable supply of hydrogen and ammonia.