The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) have shortlisted six consortiums whose proposals will be further developed in a closed Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide a low- or zero-carbon ammonia solution for power generation and bunkering on Jurong Island (the Project).

The RFP is the next stage in the selection of a developer for the project, following the Expression of Interest (EOI) that was launched in December 2022 and closed at the end of April 2023.

In the announcement, MPA said a key thrust of Singapore's National Hydrogen Strategy, announced at the Singapore International Energy Week in October 2022, is to experiment with the use of advanced hydrogen technologies that are on the cusp of commercial readiness.

It added that ammonia is currently one of the most technologically ready hydrogen carriers with an established international supply chain for industrial use.

Low- or zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia may also have multiple end-use pathways for power generation and bunkering.

Under the EOI, EMA and MPA received a total of 26 proposals, underscoring strong interest from local and international companies.

Following a rigorous evaluation process by the agencies, six proposals have been shortlisted for a closed RFP based on the technical, land optimisation, safety, and commercial aspects of their proposals.

The closed RFP seeks to select a lead developer that the Government will work with to develop the proposed end-to-end ammonia solution jointly.

This solution comprises (i) generating 55 – 65 MW of electricity from imported low- or zero-carbon ammonia via direct combustion in a Gas Turbine/Combined Cycle Gas Turbine; and (ii) facilitating ammonia bunkering at a capacity of at least 0.1 million tons per annum (MTPA), starting with shore-to-ship bunkering followed by ship-to-ship bunkering.

Given the nascency of the technology and global supply chains, the Government will work closely with the selected developer to implement the Project.

The RFP will be launched before the end of 2023.

"The Project positions Singapore as one of the first countries in the world to test and deploy a direct ammonia combustion power plant and support the holistic assessment of ammonia bunkering for both international shipping and domestic harbour craft," MPA said.

"If proven viable, the Project will contribute significantly to unlocking the potential of low-carbon ammonia as a low-carbon fuel," it added.