Bord Gáis Energy, with its parent company Centrica, in partnership with Mitsubishi Europe, is planning to develop an ammonia-fired power generation facility at its Whitegate plant.

The memorandum of understanding signed by the partners is to explore the development, construction and operation of what would be only the second such facility in the world.

Bord Gáis said the utilisation of low-carbon ammonia as a clean and sustainable fuel source for power generation has the potential to provide security of supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The power station at Whitegate, currently a combined cycle-gas turbine plant, would serve as a global demonstration site for ammonia-fired power generation technology.

Ammonia would be used for the process as it is a useful way of transporting hydrogen. Moving liquid hydrogen around is complex and expensive, while ammonia is hydrogen-dense and relatively easy to transport.

Green ammonia would be ammonia made using the Haber-Bosch process to combine hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas, powered by renewable energy.

Bord Gáis said they will enter a public consultation on the project once a feasibility assessment is completed.