An economic comparison of green ammonia co-firing and green hydrogen gas turbines in China

Tao, S., Ma, T., & Yu, Y. (2026). An economic comparison of green ammonia co-firing and green hydrogen gas turbines in China. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 228 e154676. 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.154676.

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Abstract

Low-carbon retrofitting of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) is essential for meeting China's carbon neutrality goals and reducing stranded asset risks, as the nation's energy structure remains heavily reliant on coal and the CFPP fleet is relatively young. Two promising retrofit options are coal-ammonia co-firing power plants (CAPPs) and CFPP integrated with hydrogen gas turbines (CFPP&H2GTs). This study shows that both options face cost challenges compared to conventional CFPP. However, once carbon prices surpass a certain level, they could become economically feasible. Notably, changes in carbon allowance rate do not affect this threshold. CFPP&H2GT may have advantages over CAPP in terms of levelized costs of electricity (LCOE), energy efficiency, and carbon reduction impact. However, CAPP appears to be a more practical near-term solution due to considerations of safety and technological maturity, especially since a 600 MW CFPP&H2GT would consume about 34 tons of hydrogen daily at a 10% co-firing ratio, which poses a high explosion risk. Retrofitting CFPPs with either option would support increased use of wind and solar energy in China.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Coal-fired power plant, Ammonia, Hydrogen, Renewable energy, Levelized cost of electricity
Research Programs:	Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) > Systemic Risk and Resilience (SYRR) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) > Sustainable Service Systems (S3) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) > Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions (TISS)
Depositing User:	Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited:	07 Apr 2026 11:14
Last Modified:	07 Apr 2026 11:14
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/21437

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