Japan remains committed to scaling up the emerging clean ammonia industry for direct combustion through consistent government support mechanisms, despite government roll backs on funding and commitments in other regions.
"Renewables and EVs cannot solve everything, so serious demand for hydrogen and ammonia is waiting in heavy industry, heavy duty trucks, thermal power and other [applications]," Japan's economy, trade and industry ministry (Meti) director of hydrogen and ammonia, Daisuke Hirota, told delegates at the Argus Clean Ammonia Asia conference in Tokyo.
Meti continues to focus on addressing the price gap between clean ammonia for use in power in generation when compared with traditional coal feedstocks. The government's contract for difference (CfD) scheme is progressing, with Meti currently in discussions with the 27 applicants.
"Clear and consistent policy is really what is required [for project developers]," ExxonMobil's commercial director for Asia-Pacific low carbon solutions, Kon Wai Seng, said. The US Department of Energy withdrew $332mn in funding from ExxonMobil's Baytown project in Texas recently.
