What goes on in Poland on the 20th of February.
A Polish company invests in ammonia energy storage
The Polish company Hynfra has signed a cooperation agreement with the Japanese technology supplier Tsubame BHB, which has developed an innovative solution for small-scale ammonia production. The Tsubame technology will allow to, among others, develop safe ammonia storage facilities, which can offer seasonal storage of renewable energy, and be used by the heating industry and for hydrogen logistics.
Tsubame is a Japanese company that has developed a technology to produce ammonia on a small scale, thanks to the discovery of an innovative catalyst. It allows reactions to be carried out at lower temperatures and pressure than the large-scale systems available on the market today. Hynfra is a technology integrator and plant designer for the production of renewable hydrogen, which can be used in the synthesis process with nitrogen to produce ammonia. Such ammonia, thanks to the zero-emission technology of obtaining hydrogen, is called „green”.
„We are the first to introduce safe ammonia energy storage. Green ammonia has great potential to be used to store significant volumes of energy in the long term, ” says Hynfra President Tomoho Umeda.
Hynfra sees the possibility of using Tsubame’s solution in, among others, distributed small renewable hydrogen installations, e.g. in the district heating sector.
Hydrogen, due to its physicochemical properties, is difficult to store on a large scale. Ammonia is increasingly talked about not only as an effective carrier of hydrogen itself, but also as an equal, low-carbon fuel for industries that will not undergo direct electrification. „The possibility of producing ammonia on a small scale will allow for much more flexible storage of not only hydrogen itself, but also the renewable energy contained in it, without the need for investments in conventional production facilities that are capital – intensive and require large areas,” Tomoho Umeda adds .
Team for the Development of Nuclear Energy launched
On February 17, the Minister of Climate and Environment established a team for the development of nuclear energy in Poland. The team will support the Minister in developing nuclear power in Poland and coordinating activities in this regard with various entities in the national nuclear sector.
On top of the representatives from the Climate Ministry’s Nuclear Department, the team will also include representatives of the Government’s Plenipotentiary for Critical Energy Infrastructure and domestic businesses that are either already implementing specific investment plans in relation to the construction of NPPs or are getting ready to do this.
According to the Climate Ministry, the team will offer recommendations to the Minister for legislative and non-legislative solutions to improve the implementation of nuclear energy in Poland. „These recommendations will take into account the need for investments in both large – scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactors (SMRS),” the press release reads.
The team will act as a platform for dialogue and support for domestic businesses by exchanging information, experience and good practices in areas such as nuclear licensing, communication with the public, human resources development and international cooperation for the implementation of nuclear projects.