Aboitiz Power Corporation has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japanese firm JERA Co., Inc. to explore ammonia co-firing on its coal power plants and to evaluate the potential of hydrogen fuel applications in the country.
In a report by Manila Bulletin, Aboitiz Power said that in the MOU, the two companies “commit to collaborative efforts in assessing the feasibility of ammonia co-fired power generation and further the development of ammonia and hydrogen value chains in the Philippines.
The power company said that the initiatives will support its decarbonization efforts.
Should the technology be applied to its existing coal power plants, Aboitiz Power said that its carbon dioxide emission may be reduced s by up to 50%.
Aboitiz Power chairman Sabin Aboitiz said that its partnership with JERA is “not only advancing the cause of sustainability but also paving the way for a cleaner and more vibrant future.”
The Aboitiz official added that ammonia offers a compelling solution in decarbonizing the power sector and that the agreement is a step toward developing the needed infrastructure needed to support the ammonia and hydrogen value chains.
In 2021, parent firm Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) announced JERA’s $1.46 billion acquisition of 27% of AboitizPower via a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on September 27, which was characterized as a “transaction [that] unlocks significant capital that will be used toward fueling the [AEV] Group’s growth initiatives.”
