IHI wins Prestigious Invention Award for Ammonia Burner Used in Demonstration Testing at Japanese Power Plant
IHI Corporation received an Invention Award at the 2025 National Commendation for Invention of the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation for its Ammonia Co-Firing Burner for Coal-Fired Power Plant Boilers (Patent No. 7049773, filed in 2017). The Imperial Family provides support for the annual National Commendation for Invention, which is held annually, recognizing outstanding inventors, implementers, and contributors to the advancements of science and technology in Japan.
Jun Araki, Manager, Intellectual Property G, Intellectual Property Dept, Corporate Research and Development Division
Takamasa Ito, Team Leader, Energy Conversion Dept, Technology Platform Center, Corporate Research and Development Division
Ryo Hanaoka, Manager, Japanese Market G, Business Development & Sales Dept, Carbon Solution Business Unit, Resources, Energy & Environment Business Area
Kenji Takano, Manager, R&D Dept, Carbon Solution Business Unit, Resources, Energy & Environment Business Area
The award recognizes the achievements of the large-scale demonstration of fuel ammonia conversion test conducted in fiscal 2024 at JERA Co., Inc.’s Hekinan Thermal Power Station Unit 4 (20% energy conversion). The test yielded favorable results across all key evaluation criteria, including combustibility (such as stability and nitrogen oxide emission concentrations), plant operability, and safety. These outcomes were highly praised for demonstrating 20% ammonia co-firing, a promising decarbonization solution for thermal power generation that is feasible for future social implementation.
IHI began focusing on using ammonia as a fuel in the mid-2010s, undertaking efforts to develop combustion technologies. In fiscal 2017 and 2018, the company pursued research and development on the feasibility of ammonia combustion in existing coal-fired power station boilers under the Cabinet Office’s Strategic Innovation Promotion Program. From fiscal 2019, IHI received support from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to conduct preliminary studies in preparation for demonstration tests (see note 1). Based on findings from those efforts, since fiscal 2021, IHI began collaborating with JERA on a NEDO-subsidized project to demonstrate 20% ammonia combustion at the Hekinan Thermal Power Station (see note 2). The testing at Unit 4 achieved favorable results upon its completion in fiscal 2024. JERA is building on this outcome by preparing for the practical implementation of 20% ammonia firing, with IHI providing full support for these efforts.
IHI is actively engaged in the formulation of international standards to promote the safe utilization of ammonia as an emerging fuel and has participated in the development and publication of a technical specification (see note 3), ISO/TS 21343(see note 4). Going forward, IHI will continue contributing to the development of social infrastructure to enable the safe handling of ammonia as a fuel and promote its early adoption as a practical energy source.
Notes
1. Research and development on multi-burner ammonia co-firing technology for pulverized coal boiler (NEDO-commissioned project)
2. Demonstration study of 20% ammonia co-firing at a one-gigawatt coal-fired power plant (NEDO-subsidized project)
3. A Technical Specification (TS) is a document published for immediate use in cases where consensus on an international standard is difficult to achieve. It may be revised and adopted as an international standard following a formal process. A review is conducted three years after publication.
4. Official title: ISO/TS 21343 Oil and gas industries including lower carbon energy– Fuel ammonia —Requirements and guidance for boilers for power generation
Related news release
June 26, 2024 – IHI and JERA Complete Fuel Ammonia Substitution Demonstration Testing at Hekinan Thermal Power Station
https://www.ihi.co.jp/en/all_news/2024/resources_energy_environment/1200954_13691.html
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