The newly completed testbed is the first facility in South Korea where high-efficiency combustion technology for ammonia, an eco-friendly fuel with zero carbon emissions, can be verified. The testbed aims to accelerate the early commercialization of ammonia-based eco-friendly power generation technology and to speed up the realization of carbon neutrality.
Since 2024, BHIE, together with Hyundai Heavy Industries Power Systems (HPS), has been developing a 1MWth capacity ammonia full combustion burner as a government project. With the completion of the testbed, the two companies plan to install a prototype of a scaled-up 151MWth ammonia full combustion burner at the Samcheok Power Plant to conduct performance demonstrations. In addition, under the technology agreement signed on the same day, BHIE and HPS will jointly carry out performance verification and technological advancement of the scaled-down ammonia full combustion burner prototype.
The demonstration will involve replacing one start-up burner at the Samcheok Power Plant with an ammonia full combustion burner and conducting a pilot test for about one month starting in September. Based on the results, KEPCO plans to replace all 32 start-up burners at the Samcheok Power Plant by 2027 and to conduct a demonstration of 20% ammonia co-firing at a 1,000MW-class CFBC power plant. Once the replacement is complete, it is expected to result in an annual reduction of approximately 1 million tons of carbon dioxide.
A BHIE representative stated, "It is meaningful to participate as a key partner in the world's first demonstration of ammonia full combustion technology for CFBC boilers," adding, "I would like to thank the representatives of KEPCO and HPS, who are leading this project with us."
He continued, "If this technology is successfully demonstrated, it will enable us to enter and secure a foothold in not only the domestic CFBC power generation market but also emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, where thermal power generation has a high share. We will do our best to secure ammonia full combustion technology that will lead the global eco-friendly power generation market."
Meanwhile, in addition to CFBC, BHIE is also conducting a national project to develop ammonia co-firing technology for pulverized coal (PC) boilers. Last year, the company achieved a record of 30% co-firing, surpassing 20%, and is aiming to replace all 36 start-up burners at the Dangjin Power Plant and conduct demonstration tests in the future.
With this demonstration as a turning point, BHIE plans to secure ammonia-based carbon-neutral technology in both CFBC and PC boiler sectors and focus on preempting the related market and establishing technological leadership.
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