Centrica Energy, Bord Gáis Energy And Mitsubishi Power Announce Development Of Europe’s First Ammonia Fired Power Generation Facility
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica plc and Mitsubishi Power Europe Limited “Mitsubishi Power Europe” have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the development, construction, and operation of Europe’s first-ever ammonia-fired power generation facility at Bord Gáis Energy’s Whitegate Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station in Cork, Ireland.
These four paragraphs outline the project.
The project is being led by Centrica through its Bord Gáis Energy and Centrica Energy businesses and Mitsubishi Power Europe and would become Europe’s inaugural ammonia-fired power generation facility and one of only two such facilities in the world.
The utilisation of low carbon ammonia as a clean and sustainable fuel source for power generation has the potential to provide security of supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Low carbon ammonia has a higher volumetric density than hydrogen, enabling the utilisation of low carbon hydrogen in a form which is easy to transport and store, resulting in a fuel that can be combusted with no carbon emissions at point of use. Its use as a fuel is a promising long-term energy solution for the transition to a low-carbon energy value chain.
Bord Gáis Energy’s facility at Whitegate CCGT power station would serve as a global demonstration site for ammonia-fired power generation technology, providing insight into the feasibility and scalability of low carbon ammonia as a green fuel and shaping the future of power generation worldwide, with low carbon ammonia being sourced through Centrica Energy’s global trading network.
Following the signing of the MOU, the project team is being established to commence project feasibility assessments. Upon the successful outcome of this assessment, extensive local stakeholder engagement will commence.
Note.
- No mention of the size of the new power station is given in the press release.
- Whitegate power station is a 445 MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT), that was built in 2010.
- It can meet ten percent of Ireland’s electricity demand.
I have a few thoughts.
Will The Existing Power Station Be Converted To Ammonia Or Will A New Ammonia-Fired Power Station Be Built Alongside?
Consider.
- If the second station doesn’t work, there’s no reduction in power.
- If a replacement station doesn’t work, ten percent of Ireland will be in the dark.
- Ireland will be needing more power in the next few years.
- A second power station can be appropriately-sized.
- Japanese don’t like to lose face!
Prudence probably says that building a second station alongside is the least risky route.
Wind Power In Ireland
This Wikipedia entry is entitled Wind Power In Ireland.
This is the first paragraph.
As of 2021 the island of Ireland has 5,585 megawatt and the Republic of Ireland has 4,309 MW of installed wind power nameplate capacity, the third highest per capita in the world. In 2020 wind turbines generated 36.3% of Ireland’s electrical demand, one of the highest wind power penetrations in the world.
There is also one 500 MW interconnector between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, with another similar-sized one under construction.
As the wind doesn’t blow all the time, the island of Ireland will need some low-carbon backup.
Why Ammonia?
This paragraph from the press release gives several reasons.
The utilisation of low carbon ammonia as a clean and sustainable fuel source for power generation has the potential to provide security of supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Low carbon ammonia has a higher volumetric density than hydrogen, enabling the utilisation of low carbon hydrogen in a form which is easy to transport and store, resulting in a fuel that can be combusted with no carbon emissions at point of use. Its use as a fuel is a promising long-term energy solution for the transition to a low-carbon energy value chain.
There may also be secondary issues here.
If you read the Applications section in the Wikipedia entry for ammonia, you will realise, what a useful chemical ammonia is.
As Ireland has a lot of agriculture, a fertiliser plant could be located close to the power station.
If the ammonia was green ammonia, then this will help to decarbonise the island of Ireland.
Where Will The Green Ammonia Come From?
These posts deal with the production and distribution of green ammonia.
- Could West Africa Become A Green Energy Powerhouse?
- H2U Eyre Peninsula Gateway Hydrogen Project Begins Largest Green Ammonia Plant
- KEPSA Signs Large-Scale Green Energy Projects MoU In Kenya
- Namibia Is Building A Reputation For The Cheapest Green Hydrogen
- Uniper To Make Wilhelmshaven German Hub For Green Hydrogen; Green Ammonia Import Terminal
Note.
- A continent with a lot of renewable energy like Africa or Australia can create lots of green ammonia.
- As the press release says, ammonia is easier to transport and store compared to hydrogen.
- The press release says that low carbon ammonia will be sourced through Centrica Energy’s global trading network.
- Fortescue Future Industries is mentioned in several posts, as producers of green hydrogen and green ammonia.
- Centrica is big enough to stand up to Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and Fortescue Future Industries.
As in a few years, we will have many GWs of renewable energy, could we be making green ammonia for the Irish?
This news story on the UK Research and Innovation web site is entitled Designs For Green Ammonia Plant Become Reality.
This is the sub-heading.
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) researchers are building a small-scale plant to generate ammonia using only renewable energy sources.
These two paragraphs outline the story.
Ammonia is a promising carbon-free fuel source of the future and so if successful, the plant has the potential to considerably advance the UK’s net zero ambitions.
It marks the second phase of the Ammonia Synthesis Plant from Intermittent Renewable Energy (ASPIRE) initiative which will be led by STFC in conjunction with the University of Bath, Johnson Matthey, and Frazer-Nash Consultancy.
The UK Research and Innovation news story has this description of the ASPIRE technology.
Current commercial ammonia synthesis is optimised for near steady production requiring constant power.
The first phase of ASPIRE however saw the design of a patented modular reactor and thermal management system that should enable operation from an intermittent renewable power supply.
The new plant will have three core elements:
- a pressure swing adsorption system which extracts nitrogen from air
- a modular electrolyser which splits hydrogen from water
- a synthesis loop that uses the modular reactor and a thermal management system to combine hydrogen and nitrogen to make ammonia
This will enable the entire production process to operate autonomously, powered by a small wind turbine and series of solar canopies with an ammonia generation rate proportional to the available renewable power.
There is even this quote from a Dr. Alan Partridge.
Thanks to the incredible work on this initiative by the team at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory as well as the University of Bath and private sector partners, we are closer than ever to producing industry-scale green ammonia for the UK and the world.
Perhaps, this technology will allow the island of Ireland to make all the green ammonia it needs.
Will Centrica Be Going Into The Green Ammonia Business?
The Centrica press release says they will be dealing in green ammonia for the benefit of Ireland. So Yes!
Conclusion
The news story on the UK Research and Innovation web site is a must-read.
As we have so much renewable energy in the UK, some company will build an ASPIRE-based green ammonia plant in the UK.
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