Argus Media Limited

09/14/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/14/2021 09:13

Egypt, Japan's Toyota Tshusho exploring blue hydrogen

Egypt's state-owned Egas and Japanese trading firm Toyota Tshusho have agreed to begin exploring opportunities in blue ammonia production.

The companies, together with Egyptian Petrochemical Holding (EPH), will carry out feasibility studies for projects using Japanese carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies, according to Egypt's ministry of petroleum.

Securing blue ammonia and hydrogen among other cleaner fuels are a key part of Japanese efforts to decarbonise its society by 2050, and Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi was recently in Egypt as part of a regional tour of countries that Tokyo sees as vital to its energy security.

Blue ammonia is typically produced using natural gas, with carbon emissions being captured and stored or reused. Green ammonia is manufactured using hydrogen and renewable energy with no carbon emissions. The ammonia can be burned in power plants or used as a transport vector for hydrogen, among many other applications.

Tokyo is already co-operating with Abu Dhabi's state-owned Adnoc on development of fuel ammonia technologies. Adnoc has sold three cargoes of blue ammonia to Japan from its Fertil plant in the Ruwais Industrial Complex.

Saudi state-controlled Aramco sent a 40t pilot export shipment of blue ammonia to Japan last year.

By Adal Mirza