Inpex starts work on blue hydrogen/ammonia project in japan
SUMMARY
The project will utilise natural gas from Niigata prefecture as a raw material to produce hydrogen and ammonia.
By Shardul SharmaPOSTED IN:
Japanese energy company Inpex Corporation has started construction on the surface plant facilities of the Kashiwazaki blue hydrogen/ammonia project in Japan, it said on July 12. The project aims to establish an integrated hydrogen and ammonia value chain, utilising natural gas from Niigata prefecture as a raw material.
During the production process, the CO2 generated will be captured, pressurised, and injected into the Higashi-Kashiwazaki gas field reservoir, which is no longer producing gas. This effort contributes to carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).
The blue hydrogen produced in this project will be converted into electricity using a hydrogen power generation system and supplied to end users in Niigata prefecture. Some of the blue hydrogen will also be used to produce blue ammonia for fertilizer use in the same region.
The hydrogen production facility will employ Air Liquide's ATR (autothermal reforming) technology, which reduces the energy required for CO2 separation during hydrogen production. The CO2 separation/capture facility will utilise HiPACT, a process developed by JGC Global/BASF, which reduces the power required for CO2 pressurisation. The ammonia production facility will utilise Tsubame BHB's technology for ammonia synthesis at low temperatures and low pressure.
The commissioning of the project is expected to begin in March 2025, with the goal of completing construction by August 2025.
NEDO, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation, will provide subsidies for the project's hydrogen and ammonia production, as well as CO2 recovery. The subsidies are part of NEDO's initiative for technology development related to ammonia utilisation and production, specifically blue ammonia.
Inpex will collaborate with the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) on joint research to evaluate and implement subsurface storage of CO2 using depleted oil and gas fields in Japan.
This project aligns with Inpex's vision to develop a hydrogen and CCUS business, which is one of the five net-zero businesses outlined in their Vision @2022. The company aims to commercialize three or more projects by around 2030.
