Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) has announced plans to develop and commercialise two-stroke dual-fuel engines capable of operating on ammonia and hydrogen with Akasaka Diesels Ltd., a long-term licensee.

The project is also expected to contribute to the development of technologies applicable to other alternative fuel types, such as methanol, in addition to to ammonia and hydrogen. The technology will have significant potential for future development, J-ENG claims.

Akasaka Diesels Ltd. has a long-standing relationship with J-Eng’s UE engines. The enterprise was originally established in 1960 with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to manufacture and sell UE engines under licence. It has manufactured 1,528 small and medium-sized UE engines with a total capacity of 7,300,660 kW over the period.

The development of ammonia fuel engines and hydrogen fuel engines is receiving financial assistance from Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) from its Green Innovation Fund.