Day: June 26, 2024

TOKYO : JERA, Japan’s biggest power generator, said on Wednesday it has concluded a three-month trial of co-firing 20 per cent of ammonia with coal at its Hekinan thermal power station in central Japan with positive results.

The utility, along with heavy machinery maker IHI, started the test at a 1-gigawatt (GW) unit on April 1, in what it said was the world’s first trial using a large amount of the gas at a major commercial plant.

JERA said results were positive, confirming that nitrogen oxides levels were no higher than when firing coal alone, sulphur oxides were reduced by 20 per cent, and generation of nitrous oxide, which has a strong greenhouse effect, was below the detection threshold.

Based on the results, JERA will begin construction in July to enable commercial operation using large-volume fuel ammonia substitution at Hekinan power station.

JERA will thoroughly evaluate the recent test’s impact on the boiler and peripheral equipment, aiming to establish technologies for wider use of ammonia as fuel in thermal power generation by March 2025.

Ammonia, a toxic gas primarily produced from hydrogen derived from natural gas and nitrogen extracted from the air, does not emit carbon dioxide when burned.

Ammonia is primarily utilized as a raw material for fertilizers and chemicals due to its nitrogen content. However, it is gaining attention as a potential low-carbon fuel for power generation and marine bunker operations. This is because when burned, it produces only nitrogen and water as byproducts, making it a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels like coal or oil. Research and trials are ongoing to explore its feasibility and efficiency in various applications, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions in industries reliant on high-energy-density fuels.

“Messi May Rest for Argentina vs Peru in Copa America”, “Lionel Messi is contemplating sitting out Argentina’s upcoming Copa America match against Peru to recuperate from a sore thigh.
With the team having secured qualification to the next round after two victories, Messi’s potential absence aims to ensure his fitness for subsequent crucial matches.”

Messi, who turned 37 this week and has been suffering muscle niggles, required brief medical treatment on his thigh during Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Chile at the U.S.-hosted tournament.

“Lionel Messi, despite dealing with a sore thigh, completed the full 90 minutes in Argentina’s recent Copa America match against Peru. He played a pivotal role in the team’s attacks, narrowly missing a goal with a long-range shot that hit the post.”

“It bothers me a bit, but I was able to stay on until the end. I hope it’s nothing serious … I wasn’t able to move properly because of the bother,” he said, acknowledging it might be wiser to sit out the Peru game on Saturday.

“Let’s see how the next few days go, how I recover. We’ve taken an important step to qualify and be relaxed. It’s a lot of games, a lot of travelling,” added Messi, saying he had also suffered from a sore throat and fever before the Chile game.v

With a 2-0 win over Canada also under their belt, world champions and tournament favourites Argentina are looking comfortable in the early stages of the Copa America even if not at their scintillating best.

Argentina are happy to have started the Copa with routine wins after the unwanted drama of their last major tournament when they opened the World Cup in Qatar with a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in one of the all-time shocks.

HAMBURG, Germany: “Dutch Urged to Emulate Austria, Take Aggressive Action” If the Netherlands are to achieve anything at the European Championship, they are going to have to take a leaf out of opponent Austria’s book now that they are in the knockout stages.

The Dutch had high hopes coming into the tournament in Germany but were handed a reality check as Austria beat them 3-2 in Berlin on Tuesday and condemned them to third place in Group D.

Four points from their first two games, however, were already enough to make sure of progress but they now go into the last-16 as one of the ‘lucky losers’ rather than a side moving onto the business end of the tournament with a flourish.

“It’s about the approach to the game, how you play without the ball, and our pressure simply has to be improved,” said top scorer Memphis Depay, one of numerous Dutch players critical of the team’s performance after the defeat.

“Austria were aggressive, why weren’t we as aggressive? Sometimes we weren’t in good positions, which meant we couldn’t get into the game. Then we seemed passive, and we don’t want that. We have a team that wants to press forward. Just like Austria want and did. We do have the qualities,” he insisted.

The unexpected loss brought a cloudburst of criticism from media and supporters – most of it about how tepid the team looked.

“I thought it was dramatically, incredibly bad. We’d even have a hard time against a top amateur club especially if you play like that and give away so much space,” said former international Rafael van der Vaart, whose blunt analysis makes him a popular personality on Dutch television.

“Toyota Recalls 145K+ US Vehicles for Faulty Airbags” :Toyota is recalling 145,254 vehicles in the U.S. over side curtain airbags that may deploy improperly, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

In the event of a crash, a side curtain airbag provides a barrier that helps prevent the ejection of the car’s occupant.

However, the NHTSA said that in some Toyota vehicles, the driver’s side curtain airbag may not unroll as intended and could partially deploy outside of an open window.

“The recall pertains to specific 2024 models of SUVs and hybrids, including the Toyota Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, as well as the Lexus TX350, TX500 Hybrid, and TX550 Hybrid+ vehicles.”

The remedy for the issue is under development, said the NHTSA.

BRUSSELS: “NATO Allies Appoint Netherlands’ Rutte as Next Secretary-General”, NATO allies on Wednesday (Jun 26) selected Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the organisation’s next boss, as the war in Ukraine rages on its doorstep and uncertainty hangs over the United States’ future attitude to the transatlantic alliance.

Rutte’s appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction.

“NATO Appoints Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as Next Secretary-General, Succeeding Jens Stoltenberg, Amid Ukraine Conflict and US Alliance Uncertainty”

“Mr Rutte will assume his functions as Secretary-General from Oct 1, 2024, when Mr Stoltenberg’s term expires after ten years at the helm of the Alliance,” it added.

After declaring his interest in the post last year, Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance including the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

Others were more reticent, particularly Eastern European countries which argued the post should go to someone from their region for the first time.

But they ultimately rowed in behind Rutte, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine.

“Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader, and a consensus-builder,” he said. “I know I am leaving NATO in good hands.”

NATO takes decisions by consensus so Rutte, who is bowing out of Dutch politics after nearly 14 years as prime minister, could only be confirmed once all 32 alliance members gave him their backing.