Alberta exploring ammonia exports to Japan as minister heads overseas

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Alberta’s minister of jobs can be in Japan this weekend trying to kick ahead a handful of offers that might, amongst a set of different initiatives, see the province assist the East Asian nation cut back its excessive coal emissions.

These offers embrace agreements between Alberta corporations and Mitsubishi and a serious Asian commodities dealer — the latter of which may end result within the province exporting ammonia to assist Japan reduce its emissions.

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Minister of Jobs, Commerce and Economic system Matt Jones will even be pitching the province’s agriculture and beef sectors to Costco’s Japanese arm to discover whether or not the province may export meals to Japan.

“My message is, we will be your supply of democratic and dependable power and meals,” Jones stated.

Mission with Pembina Pipeline may assist Japan cut back main coal emissions

Marubeni Corp., a serious Asian commodity dealer, introduced final Could an settlement with Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corp. to develop a low-carbon ammonia provide chain from Western Canada to Japan.

The 2 corporations are planning to collectively develop a manufacturing facility on Pembina-owned land to provide low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia close to Fort Saskatchewan, north of Edmonton.

The deal is a part of Japan’s plan to wean off coal-powered technology, which accounts for nearly one-third of its electrical energy. The power resource-poor nation pledged in December to finish building of recent coal-fired vegetation that don’t characteristic emissions-reduction expertise.

The nation has been trying to find methods to scale back emissions since an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 precipitated a triple meltdown at a nuclear plant in Fukushima, main the nation to finish its use of nuclear energy, which on the time made up 30 per cent of its power provide.

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Japan has sought out ammonia to mix it with coal, which might cut back emissions.

That undertaking continues to be in its early phases, with engineering design, authorities co-operation and ultimate funding selections wanted to carry it over the end line. The businesses count on operations to start in 2028.

Updates to Canada’s rail system and export terminals can be wanted to get the undertaking working, Jones stated, together with implementing new federal insurance policies and rules. Alberta is in dialog with the federal authorities on all these fronts, the minister added.

“We have to have the infrastructure, whether or not or not it’s rail or export terminals in place to maneuver ammonia at scale and ship it to locations like Japan,” Jones stated.

Scott MacDougall, director of the electrical energy program on the Pembina Institute, a Canadian clean-energy suppose tank, stated ammonia isn’t at the moment transported on a big scale in Canada, and the province would wish assured agreements with worldwide governments to make sure demand.

“If (Alberta) can get some stage of dedication on the demand facet for hydrogen, that’ll go a great distance for them to have the ability to finance this and determine the best way to assist it,” MacDougall stated.

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“There’s no draw back to learning these things and seeing the place it goes . . . I’m actually curious to see what they land on.”

Mitsubishi partnering with Alberta cement firm as province, feds negotiate carbon seize incentives

In the meantime, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. in August 2023 delivered and put in a compact carbon pilot seize system to Heidelberg Supplies’ cement plant in Edmonton, which is able to ultimately turn into the primary full-scale carbon seize utilization and storage (CCUS) unit for the worldwide cement trade.

Anticipated to be working by 2026, it’s anticipated to seize over 1 million tonnes of CO₂ yearly — a big quantity when contemplating Alberta’s projected sequestration capability may hit 55 million tonnes by 2030, in response to the Canada Vitality Regulator.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the well-known auto firm’s engineering, electrical gear and electronics company.

The present undertaking includes a small-scale CCUS system that may assist Heidelberg decide its feasibility, stated Sean McCoy, assistant professor on the College of Calgary’s Schulich College of Engineering. Ought to a plant-wide undertaking go forward, it might want to arrange the right incentives for Heidelberg that may ease the blow of a $1 billion-plus invoice required for it to finish.

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Heidelberg already has an settlement in place with Enbridge for a carbon storage undertaking in Edmonton, created particularly for the cement trade.

Jones stated Mitsubishi and Heidelberg are at the moment in negotiations with the federal authorities discussing CCUS incentives and Alberta can be looking for to offer related incentives for the undertaking.

He added that he’ll be assembly with Japan’s Costco workforce to discover whether or not it could be curious about agreements with Alberta to ship exports like canola, cereal, beef and different meat merchandise abroad.

“(The journey) will embrace a go to to the Costco there, which I perceive has fairly an providing of worldwide merchandise,” he stated.

mscace@postmedia.com
X: @mattscace67

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