Experts urge govt not to adopt ammonia, hydrogen power projects

Experts enjoy urged the Bangladesh executive to chorus from adopting ammonia and hydrogen co-firing applied sciences, which critics say might well presumably delay the existence of fossil gasoline projects and hinder the nation’s transition to renewable power.

The warning came in some unspecified time in the future of a 3-day convention “Bangladesh Vitality Prosperity 2050” held in Dhaka this day (13 December), where experts known as for a highlight on sustainable power solutions aligned with world climate commitments.

Marika Kita, programme team on the Japan Center for Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES), advised Bangladesh against accepting Japan’s purple meat up for ammonia and hydrogen co-firing applied sciences, warning that these solutions would handiest lengthen the existence of fossil gasoline projects in the nation.

Talking on the convention, Kita delivered a presentation titled “Japan’s Dependancy to Counterfeit Solutions.” In it, she outlined several recommendations aimed in opposition to steering Bangladesh in opposition to extra sustainable power practices.

Kita criticised Japan’s Inexperienced Transformation (GX) system, which promotes thermal power generation applied sciences that combine ammonia and hydrogen or utilize single firing and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

She argued that Japan’s point of curiosity on such “innovative applied sciences” might well presumably delay main development in lowering reliance on fossil fuels.

As share of its GX system, Japan objectives to introduce 20% ammonia co-firing by 2030 and single firing by 2040, alongside utilities.

“I counsel Bangladesh now to not honest fetch the IEPMP grasp thought proposed by JICA, withdraw the ammonia/hydrogen co-firing proposal, and as one more set up a path for main renewable power adoption in line with a 2050 earn-zero scenario,” Kita talked about.

Kita also highlighted that Japan’s promotion of those applied sciences contradicts the commitments made by G7 countries. The G7 pledged to “discontinue unique advise public financing for the arena unabated fossil gasoline sector by the discontinue of 2022, with the exception of in restricted conditions clearly defined by every nation, per a 1.5°C warming limit and the targets of the Paris Agreement.”

Chairing the occasion, Donna Lisenby, president of Riverfox Environmental, talked about, “Fossil gasoline projects injure the team. It is in actual fact utter they’ve economic and environmental impact. However the unusual trade mannequin in the fossil gasoline sector is continuing. The developed countries are doing trade at locations where there are loyal impacts of fossil gasoline.”

Sarmin Akter Bristy, fossil gasoline campaigner at NGO Discussion board on Asian Pattern Financial institution (ADB), talked about in a PowerPoint presentation that ADB is a number one financial investor in Bangladesh, with 804 projects spanning 13 completely different sectors.

Amongst these, the flexibility sector represents the second-biggest space of point of curiosity, with 131 projects. From 2010 to the unusual, ADB has supplied a total financing of $4.63 billion, comprising $4,220 million in loans, $400 million in technical assistance loans, and $8.1 million in grants, she talked about.

“However, the huge majority of ADB’s funding comes in the make of loans, with restricted contributions to grants and technical assistance. A wiser examination of ADB’s power portfolio unearths that fossil gasoline and pipeline financing accounts for $834 million, whereas renewable power financing is substantially decrease at $107.025 million. The supreme half of its power investments, totalling $2,184.35 million, is directed in opposition to transmission and distribution projects, highlighting a heavy reliance on light infrastructure over renewable power enhance,” she added.

The Asian Infrastructure Funding Financial institution (AIIB), in incompatibility, completely presents loans without offering any grants or technical assistance financing. Since its inception in 2016, AIIB has supported 26 projects in Bangladesh, including 10 in the flexibility sector. Particularly, AIIB has distributed $1,115 million to transmission and distribution projects and $230 million to gas and pipeline projects. However, AIIB’s contribution to renewable power is non-existent, signaling an absence of dedication to sustainable power enhance in Bangladesh, the presentation integrated.

Each ADB and AIIB’s funding patterns advise a chief point of curiosity on fossil gasoline with restricted investments in renewable power, elevating concerns about their alignment with world climate targets and Bangladesh’s transition in opposition to a sustainable power future.

The programme turned into moderated by Rayyan Hasan, executive director of NGO Discussion board on ADB whereas Hong Yongglak from Solution for our climate (SFOC) also addressed the programme.