In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed yesterday, Keppel New Energy Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Infrastructure; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI); and DNV, a global independent energy expert and assurance provider, announced a strategic collaboration to explore the feasibility and implementation of an ammonia-fired gas turbine on Jurong Island, Singapore.
Signing Ceremony
The MoU will see the three companies work together to perform a high-level Quantitative Risk Assessment to explore the use of 100% ammonia as a fuel for a gas turbine or combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) – towards the potential development of an Ammonia Power Plant.
Under the MoU, Keppel will study the feasibility of an ammonia fuelled power plant, while MHI, with support from its power solutions brand, Mitsubishi Power, will develop an ammonia-fired gas turbine that produces carbon-neutral power to pursue the expansion of the ammonia fuel supply chain in Singapore. Alongside this, DNV will lend its assurance and risk management expertise to prepare and present a QRA analysis on the project.
Takao Tsukui, General Manager, International Sales and Marketing Department, GTCC Business Division, MHI, said: “Ammonia is a potential key component to building a hydrogen society. Mitsubishi Power has pioneered world-class gas turbine and hydrogen fuel combustion technologies for more than 50 years, and this MoU demonstrates our continued dedication to pursue cutting-edge solutions that can support the growing demand for electricity while transitioning towards a more sustainable energy future in Asia Pacific.”
“DNV is proud to use our well established advisory and hydrogen technical capabilities to provide quantitative risk assessment for this impactful project. We believe that ammonia-fired power generation can be an important step on the path to a more sustainable energy future. This MoU offers us an exciting opportunity to share our extensive industry experience to support this important contribution to Singapore’s net zero and energy transition goals,” said Brice Le Gallo, Vice President and Regional Director-Asia Pacific, Energy Systems, DNV.
Ammonia has a higher volumetric density than hydrogen, making it easier for storage and distribution. It does not produce CO2 when fired and is an efficient hydrogen carrier. Its use as a fuel is a promising long-term energy solution for the transition to a zero-carbon energy value chain. The MoU aims to draw up robust assessment guidelines to ensure the safety and sustainability of ammonia as a clean fuel, while maintaining high efficiency and low NOx emissions for use in a gas turbine system for power generation.
This agreement follows an announcement in August 2022 that Keppel Energy will develop Singapore’s first hydrogen-ready power plant in the Sakra sector of Jurong Island, constructed by a consortium comprising Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific and Jurong Engineering. A long-term service (LTS) contract for major maintenance of the turbine was also awarded to Mitsubishi Power. Keppel New Energy additionally signed a MoU with MHI to carry out a feasibility study on the development of a 100% ammonia-fueled power plant on a selected site in Singapore.
Together, by embarking on this MoU, Keppel, MHI and DNV are demonstrating their commitment to accelerate the decarbonization of energy to create a pathway to a net zero future.
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.
A tripartite Concession Agreement was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam and M/s Vishvaraj Environment Private Limited (VEPL) for development of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) for Agra under Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) on 25th August 2022 at NMCG office today. The contract has been awarded at the total cost of Rs. 582.84 crores.
In order to abate pollution in River Yamuna through basin-approach, NMCG approved the project for construction of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of total capacity of 177.6 MLD, among other works such as developing Interception & Diversion (I&D) structures, I&D network laying, sewage pumping stations including Operation and Maintenance for 15 years etc. This project aims to take care of the existing sewerage problems in the Agra city which pollutes River Yamuna. On implementation of the project, there will be no discharge of untreated sewage from Agra city into River Yamuna thereby reducing pollution load in the river.
Expressing his happiness on completing the process of award of contract, Shri G. Asok Kumar, Director General, NMCG, said that this project will be implemented under Hybrid Annuity based PPP model and will ensure that operation and maintenance of the STPs are done as per stringent performance requirements. “This project will be another milestone in achieving the objective of preventing any untreated waste water entering River Yamuna, which is one of the major tributaries of River Ganga,” Shri Kumar added.
The Concession Agreement was signed between Shri Raj Kumar Sharma, Superintending Engineer, UP Jal Nigam, Shri Satyajeet Raut, Authorized Signatory, M/s. Vishvaraj Environment Private Limited and Shri Binod Kumar, Director (Projects), NMCG. Shri Himansu Badoni, Executive Director (Projects), NMCG and Mr. Arun Lakhani, CMD, VEPL were also present along with other representatives of state agencies and concessionaire during the signing ceremony.
Shri Lakhani said “VEPL has always engaged in projects related to sustainability and environment. The social and health impact of sewage treatment project is well known to all of us. This is a major project for VEPL and will make a contribution to the Clean Ganga Mission. We intend to complete the project well within time with the support of UP Jal Nigam and NMCG.”
The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (Agreement) agreed at the recently concluded World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting will prohibit subsidies from being provided for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfished stocks. Under the Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT), Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have been allowed a transition period of two years from the date of entry into force of this Agreement. The Agreement also prohibits providing subsidies for fishing on high seas, which are outside the jurisdiction of coastal countries and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/ Arrangements (RFMO/As).
As per the Agreement, no prohibition has been imposed on a WTO Member regarding granting or maintaining subsidy to its vessel or operator as long as it is not carrying out IUU. Similarly, no prohibition on providing subsidies has been imposed for fishing regarding overfished stocks as long as such subsidies are implemented to rebuild the stock to a biologically sustainable level.
India’s stand is that we are one of the lowest fisheries subsidisers despite such a large population and one of the disciplined nations in sustainably harnessing the fisheries resources. India does not exploit the resources indiscriminately like other advanced fishing nations and India’s fisheries sector primarily depends on several millions of small-scale and traditional fishers. Therefore, those WTO Members who have provided huge subsidies in the past, and engaged in large-scale industrial fishing, which is responsible for the depletion of fish stocks, should take more obligations to prohibit subsidies based on the ‘polluter pay principle’ and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’.
The Agreement will eliminate the subsidies granted to fishing vessels or fishing operators engaged in IUU fishing. Such disciplining will check large-scale IUU fishing which deprives coastal countries like India of fisheries resources, thereby significantly impacting the livelihoods of our fishing communities. This Agreement also provides flexibility to extend subsidies concerning overfished stocks if measures are taken to rebuild fish stocks to a biologically sustainable level, which supports our fishing communities. Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries have been allowed Special and Differential Treatment, with no obligation to implement disciplines for a period of two years from the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Hokkaido Electric Power Company (Hokuden) and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) are pleased to announce that we will be establishing a new joint venture in November 2021 that will be dedicated to hydroelectric power generation. The company, Donan Hydroelectric LLC (Donan Hydro), will be headquartered in Hakodate City, Hokkaido Prefecture. In conjunction with the new joint venture’s establishment, Hokuden and MC have also agreed to form a hydroelectric power alliance that will service Hokkaido’s Donan region.Our alliance will begin by Hokuden replacing in stages five existing power plants in Southern Hokkaido Prefecture, with Donan Hydro managing their operations thereafter. The five plants that will be replaced are all located in the Donan region. They include four that are directly owned by Hokuden (Nanae Power Station, Isoyagawa Daiichi Power Plant, Isoyagawa Daini Power Plant, and Ainumanai Hydro Plant), and one owned by Hokuden’s subsidiary Eco Energy Corporation, Ltd. (Ono Power Station). (Excerpt from joint press release of October 2021)
To help fund the alliance’s operations, Hokuden and MC have entered into a project-finance (PF)* agreement with North Pacific Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited. The agreement was signed in March of this year.Hydropower requires a great deal of infrastructure, including dams, waterways, generators and substations. Obtaining the rights to both install and operate that infrastructure means getting the necessary permits and authorizations, red tape that tends to make it difficult for developers to convince banks that the businesses are viable. For that reason, PF schemes for hydro projects have been few and far between.
Hokuden and MC engaged in numerous discussions with financial institutions, during which we were able to leverage our respective hydropower businesses and PF know-how to demonstrate just how sound our alliance’s objectives are. The banks were impressed by our business plan and agreed to provide additional funding through this PF agreement.The plan is for Donan Hydro to lease existing waterways and other facilities owned by Hokuden. Only aging facilities shall be replaced once they are decommissioned, and Donan Hydro’s power-generation operations shall commence thereafter.Hokuden’s role in our alliance shall be to apply to the replacement work all of its expertise in building, maintaining and operating hydropower facilities. It shall also be responsible for ensuring that we remain in close communication with the local communities, and in maintaining the new facilities once they have been constructed.MC’s role shall be to apply its extensive know-how in PF-driven power-generation businesses, which covers projects both here in Japan and around the world. This know-how shall be used both to ensure that Donan Hydro and its businesses are managed efficiently, and to oversee its contracts, PF funding operations, and so on.
MC and Hokuden are committed to leveraging Japan’s domestically produced energy resources. Recognizing its worth in the context of renewable energy, we shall endeavor to optimize hydropower generated by the Donan region’s valuable water resources and do our part to help Japan achieve carbon neutrality.
*Method of projected-cash-flow-based project financing that is secured by all of the project’s assets. PF differs from other financing mechanisms in that it typically involves the setup of a special-purpose entity for each project in order to protect the project investors from any risks other than the loss of their investments. Because the lenders (banks) incur additional risks in PF schemes, they tend to have very strict criteria for approving businesses that apply for this type of financing.
The Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) have signed a historic document: the first scale agreement between the two organizations. The agreement is in effect for 42 months and applies to animation, documentaries and fictional works under the jurisdiction of the ARRQ, namely, productions in French or any other original language besides English, shot primarily in Quebec and directed by filmmakers who are Quebec residents or who live in Quebec.
Montreal, April 5, 2022 — The Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) have signed a historic document: the first scale agreement between the two organizations. The agreement is in effect for 42 months and applies to animation, documentaries and fictional works under the jurisdiction of the ARRQ, namely, productions in French or any other original language besides English, shot primarily in Quebec and directed by filmmakers who are Quebec residents or who live in Quebec. The scale agreement also includes a Letter of agreement with respect to interactive works and outlines working conditions that reflect the privileged relationship that the NFB hopes to maintain with creators.
“This first scale agreement between the ARRQ and the NFB is something both parties have wanted for a long time. What a great step forward! I would like to thank all the negotiating teams, who made these talks a true priority. This agreement formally recognizes the NFB’s distinct model of creation and production. And it also speaks to the respectful and equitable relationship we wish to maintain with creators. This is a fundamental commitment for the NFB as a public producer.” — Julie Roy, Director General, Creation and Innovation, NFB
“This historic scale agreement ensures respect for filmmakers’ profession and their creative independence. I would like to warmly thank the members of the negotiating committee and the ARRQ’s labour relations team for their commitment and their engagement with this process over more than four years, as well as all the filmmakers who contributed during this period.” — Mylène Cyr, Executive Director, ARRQ
The ARRQ-NFB scale agreement went into effect on March 28, 2022.
About ARRQ
The Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ – Quebec directors’ association) is a labour organization recognized by the Act respecting the professional status and conditions of engagement of performing, recording and film artists (S-32.1) and the Status of the Artist Act (L.C. 1992, c. 33). ARRQ represents more than 800 freelance directors working mainly in French-language film, television and digital content.
The ARRQ defends the professional, economic, cultural, social and moral rights and interests of Quebec directors in all occasions and issues. Among the measures taken to uphold the rights of directors and ensure their conditions for creation, the association negotiates collective agreements, writes and helps to develop briefs, and contributes to numerous studies. www.reals.quebec.
About the NFB
The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.
