The certification, granted by Japan’s Minister
of Economy, Trade and Industry and Minister of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, covers a project led by IHI
Corporation in partnership with Kobelco Power Kobe, Sumitomo
Chemical, Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing, Hokkaido
Electric Power, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, and UBE
Corporation. The project has been approved under Japan’s “Support focusing on the price gap” scheme,
which is designed to help bridge the cost difference between conventional
fossil fuels and low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia.Under the initiative, IHI will
procure low-carbon ammonia from a production project being jointly developed
with ACME Group in Odisha, India, before supplying it to
the seven participating Japanese companies.
The imported ammonia will be used as a fuel for thermal power generation
and as a feedstock for chemical manufacturing and other industrial processes,
supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across multiple
sectors. According to the
companies, the certification represents a key milestone in establishing a
commercial ammonia value chain targeted for operation from fiscal 2030 onward. The
participating companies said they intend to expand the use of low-carbon
ammonia across Japan’s energy and industrial sectors as part of broader efforts
to support the country’s carbon neutrality objectives.