Taiwan Fertilizer Company (TFC) is accelerating its industrial transformation by forging new partnerships with major international firms from Japan and South Korea, focusing on ammonia energy collaborations.
TFC has recently signed several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) as part of its strategic push into the new energy sector. While some of its partners possess their own production capabilities, TFC plans to supply raw materials.
In cases where partners lack application expertise, TFC aims to fill the gaps. Notably, the recent agreement with South Korea's Samsung C&T Corporation underscores Samsung's recognition of TFC's potential, paving the way for joint initiatives.
In a significant move, TFC also signed an MOU with Japan's IHI Corporation. TFC highlighted Japan's role as a critical player in the emerging ammonia energy market.
Amid growing concerns over fossil fuels and climate change, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has advocated for the "Asia Zero Emissions Community," starting in 2022. To achieve net-zero goals, Japan is focusing on co-firing ammonia with coal to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. This aligns with TFC's strategy, as Taiwan is also exploring coal-ammonia co-firing solutions.
IHI is a global leader in developing boiler systems for coal-ammonia co-firing and constructing large-scale liquid ammonia storage facilities. It stands out in Japan's ammonia energy sector, with its innovations adopted by JERA, the country's largest power generation company.
IHI's equipment powers Japan's largest 1.05 million kW generation systems and is a key supplier of boilers for stable power production. Notably, IHI has achieved a global first by successfully operating a 20% coal-ammonia co-firing test at the Hekinan Power Plant for an entire quarter.
In addition to its international partnerships, TFC has established an advanced business research center to drive innovation. The company has committed NT$3 billion (US$91 million) to build two new liquid ammonia storage tanks, bringing its total to four.
The first batch of low-carbon ammonia, imported from Saudi Arabia's SABIC AN, is performing well in the market. In response to the high demand for carbon-free solutions, TFC is planning to expand its offerings with additional carbon-free options.
