[USA] Duke Energy to build first system capable of producing, storing and combusting 100% green hydrogen in the U.S.

On October 27, 2023, Duke Energy announced that it will break ground on a demonstration project capable of producing, storing, and combusting 100% green hydrogen in DeBary, Florida, the first such project in the U.S.[1] The project will take place at Duke Energy Florida’s existing 74.5 MW Debary solar plant and is in collaboration with Sargent and Lundy and GE Vernova. The solar plant will provide energy for two 1-MW electrolyzer units that will separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms. When energy demand peaks, stored hydrogen will be dispatched to a combustion turbine that will be upgraded using GE Vernova technology to run on a natural gas/hydrogen blend or up to 100% hydrogen. This will be the first combustion turbine in operation in the country running at such a high percentage of hydrogen. Duke said that construction will take about a year to complete and that it is aiming for an operational date in 2024.

[1] https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-announces-plans-to-build-and-operate-the-nations-first-system-capable-of-producing-storing-and-combusting-100-green-hydrogen-in-a-combustion-turbine-in-florida

[USA] DOE selects 7 hydrogen hubs for $7B IIJA funding

On October 13, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it had selected seven regional hydrogen hubs in Appalachia, California, the Gulf Coast, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and a Heartland hydrogen hub comprising Minnesota and the Dakotas.[1] The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in 2021 set aside $8 billion to create Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) nationwide. $1 billion of this funding will be spent on initiatives to support demand for clean hydrogen. The selected hubs are expected to collectively produce three million metric tons of hydrogen annually, nearly a third of the 2030 U.S. production target. The DOE also said these hubs will reduce 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from end-uses annually.

Each H2Hub was required to develop and ultimately implement a comprehensive Community Benefits Plan (CBP), which will be informed by community and labor engagements in each region. The DOE indicated that the selection for award negotiations was not final. The hubs are subject to a negotiation process, and the DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. In September 2023, the DOE issued a Request for Proposals to solicit a U.S. entity to execute a demand-side initiative to ensure the clean hydrogen economy's long-term success and support the hubs' development. This initiative seeks to ensure that both producers and end users in the H2Hubs have market certainty.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-7-billion-americas-first-clean-hydrogen-hubs-driving

[USA] Report finds clean hydrogen industry needs trained workforce

According to new analysis released by the Rhodium Group on September 27, 2023, although there is ample policy support for clean hydrogen production under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the U.S. will not be able to increase clean hydrogen production without a robust and effect workforce.[1] The Rhodium Group emphasized that occupational training programs will be imperative for deploying hydrogen technologies. According to Rhodium Group, building a commercial-scale 100 MW electrolytic hydrogen facility results in an annual average of 330 plant investment jobs and 45 ongoing jobs. 150 of the development jobs are associated with the construction, engineering, equipment, and materials to build the facility, and 190 come from the supply chain requirements. The 45 ongoing jobs are associated with operations and maintenance.

Retrofitting a traditional hydrogen facility with carbon capture also requires a robust workforce. These projects will need an annual average of 520 plant investment jobs and 80 ongoing jobs. 220 of the project development jobs are associated with the construction and engineering of a retrofit project, while the remaining 300 jobs are associated with materials and equipment used in the project via the supply chain. Rhodium Group estimates that the 80 ongoing jobs over the lifetime of the facility will operate and maintain the carbon capture equipment. These estimates do not include the ongoing jobs for the hydrogen production facility prior to the installation of carbon capture. Carbon capture retrofits will happen where there are existing SMR facilities, so the research firm expects most of this workforce opportunity to be in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and California. The analysis estimates that, in total, over 16,000 annual average plant investment jobs and 2,560 ongoing jobs across the industry will be needed for carbon retrofits by 2035.

[1] https://rhg.com/research/clean-hydrogen-workforce-development/

[USA] DOE launches $1B plan to support clean hydrogen program

On July 5, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to invest up to $1 billion in a demand-side initiative to support Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs).[1] Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the H2Hubs program will help form the foundation of a national clean hydrogen network. According to the announcement, the investment will “help ensure both producers and end users in the H2Hubs have the market certainty they need during the early years of production to unlock private investment and realize the full potential of clean hydrogen.” The clean hydrogen sector could provide 100,000 net new direct and indirect jobs by 2030 according to DOE’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Clean Hydrogen report.

The NOI includes a Request for Information (RFI) on the program’s design and, among other things, seeks public input on potential benefits and risks, operating models, governance structures, and equipped implementing partners. Later in 2023, the Biden administration will announce the selection of six to 10 H2Hubs for a combined total funding of up to $7 billion in federal funding. The proposed mechanism outlined in the NOI will help connect the H2Hubs to prospective purchasers.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-jumpstart-clean-hydrogen-economy-new-initiative-provide-market

[USA] Black Hills Energy announces feasibility study of hydrogen generation from coal

On May 1, 2023, Black Hills Energy, a utility that serves 1.3 million customers in eight Western states, announced that it was awarded a grant from the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) to conduct a feasibility analysis on hydrogen generation using coal from its Wyodak Mine in Campbell County, WY.[1] The program’s partners include Black Hills, Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), and members of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at Ohio State University. The program will use B&W’s BrightLoopTM chemical looping technology, an oxidation reduction chemical process that produces hydrogen and a nearly pure product stream of carbon dioxide without the need for carbon capture equipment to extract carbon emissions. As part of the analysis, a conceptual design and estimate for a semi-commercial scale plant will be developed. If feasible and cost-effective, a second phase would include the construction of the facility using the BrightLoop technology at Black Hills Energy’s Neil Simpson Complex in Wyoming.

[1] https://www.blackhillsenergy.com/news/black-hills-energy-explores-versatility-of-wyoming-coal

[USA] Constellation Energy starts hydrogen production at 1-MW demonstration scale nuclear-powered clean hydrogen facility

On March 7, 2023, Constellation announced that hydrogen production has started at the nation’s first 1 MW demonstration scale, nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility at Mile Point Nuclear Plant in Oswego, New York.[1] In 2022, the Department of Energy (DOE) approved moving forward with the construction and installation of an electrolyzer system at Nine Mile Point with an award of $5.8 million. The clean Hydrogen Generation System uses 1.25 MW of zero-carbon energy per hour to produce 560 kilograms of clean hydrogen per day. Constellation said this is “more than enough to meet the plant’s operation hydrogen use.” The Hydrogen Generation System’s Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyzer was manufactured by Nel Hydrogen and utilizes electricity generated at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station to separate hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water. According to the press release, the demonstration project helps set the stage for possible large-scale deployments at other clean energy centers in Constellation’s fleet.

As part of its broader decarbonization strategy, Constellation is currently working with public and private entities representing every phase in the hydrogen value chain to pursue development of regional hydrogen production and distribution hubs. The company plans to invest $900 million through 2025 to advance commercial clean hydrogen production and is participating in the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), Northeast Clean Hydrogen Hub, and Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, all of which are exploring projects to develop hydrogen infrastructure in collaboration with DOE.

[1] https://www.constellationenergy.com/newsroom/2023/Constellation-Starts-Production-at-Nations-First-One-Megawatt-Demonstration-Scale-Nuclear-Powered-Clean-Hydrogen-Facility.html

[USA] Energy stakeholders back initiative to map 'clean' hydrogen

On December 13, 2022, GTI Energy and S&P Global Commodity Insights announced that new stakeholders have joined the Open Hydrogen Initiative (OHI).[1] OHI, led by GTI Energy, S&P Global Commodity Insights, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), is a collaboration that aims to further transparency into the environmental impact of hydrogen production and help unlock its full potential as a fuel alternative and driver of the energy transition. OHI will build measurement protocols and a tool for calculating emissions of a given kilogram of hydrogen at the facility level. In September 2022, the initiative began looking into the blind spots and gaps in current models for emissions accounting. OHI’s conveners hope to have a beta version of the measurement tool completed by the fourth quarter of 2023 so it can be demonstrated on hydrogen production facilities in the U.S.

Industry members of the initiative now include EQT, National Grid, Shell, ExxonMobil, Dominion Energy, LanzaTech, Equinor, Duke Energy, DTE, and Southwest Gas Corporation. Other members include the Clean Air Task Force, The University of Newcastle Australia, Queen Mary University of London, Columbia University, Stanford University’s Hydrogen Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Houston’s Future, Government of Alberta, Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition, and Hydrogen Forward.

[1] https://www.gti.energy/global-energy-leaders-join-open-hydrogen-initiative/

[USA] SoCalGas announces development of 100% clean hydrogen pipeline system

Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) announced on February 17, 2022, that it has begun the planning and development process for the Angeles Link, a pipeline system that would deliver hydrogen to the Los Angeles area.[1] The utility also filed a request with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for the creation of a memorandum account to record project costs and provide customers and stakeholders with a way to track developments associated with the project. SoCalGas aims to decarbonize its operations by 2045 and says that the Angeles Link will accelerate progress toward this goal. According to SoCalGas, the project would be capable of delivering green hydrogen equivalent to 25% of its current natural gas capacity and displace up to 3 million gallons of diesel fuel per day. Based on potential hydrogen demand within the Los Angeles Basin, the utility expects that the new system will use 25-35 GW of renewable energy from wind, solar, or batteries. The electricity will be used to produce hydrogen from electrolyzers. The Angeles Link could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric generation, industrial processes, heavy-duty trucks, and other hard-to-electrify sectors.

[1] https://www.socalgas.com/sustainability/hydrogen/angeles-link

[USA] Companies announce plans to support CCUS and hydrogen hub in northern Appalachia

On February 3, 2022, EQT Corporation, Equinor, GE Gas Power, Marathon Petroleum (including its affiliate MPLX), Mitsubishi Power, Shell Polymers (a petrochemicals division of Royal Dutch Shell), and U.S. Steel announced that they have formed a new alliance to develop a hydrogen and carbon capture hub in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.[1] Historically, the northern Appalachian region has been the center of oil and natural gas production. Both EQT and Equinor have existing natural gas operations in Pennsylvania, and Marathon Power operates an oil refinery in Ohio.

The alliance plans to build out infrastructure for blue hydrogen, which pairs hydrogen produced from natural gas with carbon carputer, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies. According to the press release, the hub and associated infrastructure could generate thousands of new jobs, protect existing jobs, and help achieve significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. The group is working to establish a collaborative network to directly engage industry, labor, universities, communities, government, research institutions, non-profit organizations, and other groups in these efforts. The alliance participants intend to define the vision and plans for a regional CCUS/hydrogen hub in the coming weeks. IN-2-Market, a regional non-profit organization, will manage alliance activities and engagement with regional stakeholders.

[1] https://www.equinor.com/en/where-we-are/united-states/20220203-initiative-support-low-carbon-hydrogen-hub.html

[USA] DOE announces loan guarantee of up to $1.04 billion for Nebraska pyrolysis facility

On December 23, 2021, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced that it would guarantee a loan of up to $1.04 billion to Monolith Nebraska LLC to scale up the production of hydrogen at its Olive Creek facility in Hallam, Nebraska.[1] According to the LPO, the expansion will create approximately 1,000 jobs during construction and 75 “high-paying, highly skilled, clean energy jobs” for facility operations. The LPO said that the company must meet certain conditions before a final loan is issued, though it did not specify what these conditions will be. The announcement is the office’s first conditional commitment to be offered to a non-nuclear project since 2016. According to the DOE, it is likely to be the first of many such awards in 2022.

The Monolith Olive Creek project is the first-ever commercial-scale project to use methane pyrolysis technology, which produces carbon black and hydrogen from natural gas. Monolith aims to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during carbon black and hydrogen production by up to 80% compared to traditional methods. Carbon black is a type of soot that is widely used to reinforce and improve the performance of tires and other rubber products. It is also used in the production of plastics, dyes, and inks. Tire producers like Michelin and Goodyear are pledging to cut their own emissions footprints by sourcing their carbon black from Monolith.[2] The hydrogen produced at the Olive Creek facility will be used for cleanly made ammonia fertilizer and sold to agricultural buyers.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/open-business-lpo-issues-new-conditional-commitment-loan-guarantee

[2] https://monolith-corp.com/news/monolith-receives-conditional-approval-for-a-one-billion-dollar-us-department-of-energy-loan

[USA] DOE announces $52.5 million to advance clean hydrogen technologies

On July 7, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $52.5 million to advance cutting-edge clean hydrogen technologies.[1] The funding will support the DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative, which aims to reduce the cost and accelerate innovation in the clean hydrogen sector. The 31 projects will focus on bridging technical gaps in hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and utilization technologies to help the U.S. reach the Biden administration’s goal of a decarbonized electricity sector by 2035.

The funding includes $36 million from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and $16.5 million from the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM). The EERE will support 19 projects focused on five topics: 1) electrolysis with improved manufacturing and streamlined assembly to reduce costs; 2) clean hydrogen, including biological and electrochemical approaches; 3) fuel cell subsystems and components that are more efficient and durable and are designed for heavy-duty applications; 4) domestic hydrogen supply chain components and refueling technologies; and 5) cost and performance analyses of fuel cell systems, hydrogen production pathways, and hydrogen storage technologies. The FECM will support 12 projects on six topics: 1) degradation mechanisms and pathways in high temperature reversible solid oxide cells (SOC) materials that help assess metrics such as cost; 2) performance, reliability, and durability for hydrogen production using reversible solid oxide cells (R-SOC) systems; 3) cost reductions via improvements in materials, manufacturing and microstructure improvements in R-SOC technologies; 4) design of a commercial-scale advanced carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) system from steam methane reforming plants; 5) design of a commercial-scale advanced CCUS system from autothermal methane reforming plants; and 6) development of a gas turbine combustion system for both hydrogen and hydrogen plus natural gas.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-525-million-accelerate-progress-clean-hydrogen

[Japan] Japan and UAE sign agreement to cooperate on hydrogen technology and supply chain

On April 8, 2021, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) with the UAE’s Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure to work together on hydrogen production technology and to develop an international hydrogen supply chain.[1] [2] The UAE is an oil-producing country, but the country has abundant solar radiation and focuses on renewable energy such as solar power generation, so it has high production potential for "green hydrogen." Japan has signed the MOC with the UAE as the first step to strengthen its relationship with hydrogen resource countries. The hydrogen will most likely be produced from fossil fuels, but the emissions will be captured and used in industry. The countries will also work to boost hydrogen demand in the UAE. Currently, Japan’s hydrogen demand is 2 million tonnes per year. As a part of its green growth strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Japan set a goal in December 2020 to boost demand to 3 million tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030 and 20 million tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2050. Japan’s green growth strategy also includes plans for ammonia; in January 2021, Japan struck a deal with the UAE’s state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) to cooperate on fuel ammonia production.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-hydrogen-emirates/japan-uae-to-collaborate-on-hydrogen-technology-supply-chain-idUSKBN2BV1CJ

[2] https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/040821-japan-signs-first-hydrogen-cooperation-deal-with-uae-to-consider-supply-chain

[Japan] Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger Conducted a Combustion Test for a Pure Hydrogen Engine in Collaboration with AIST

On January 21, 2021, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group (MHI, Headquarters: Tokyo) announced that its subsidiary company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger (MHIET, Headquarters: Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture), had conducted a combustion test for a pure hydrogen engine in collaboration with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST, Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese research institute.

This combustion test installed a modified single cylinder gas engine (bore 170mm x stroke 220mm) made by MHIET at the AIST Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. The test aims to validate and confirm certain conditions for combusting hydrogen without emitting CO2.

MHIET and the MHI Research and Innovation Center have jointly developed and produced the hydrogen engine by leveraging their knowledge of hydrogen combustion technologies, diesel engines, and natural gas engines. Since AIST has prior experience in developing large-scale, high-power, high thermal efficiency, and low NOx hydrogen engines, the research institute has been responsible for building and testing the hydrogen power generation facility, as well as collecting data from the test. Based on the test results, the hydrogen power output is expected to increase up to 340kW for a 6-cylinder engine and 920kW for a 16-cylinder engine. MHIET plans to conduct further tests and gather more data in order to build a multi-cylinder hydrogen engine with 1MW of output.

Both MHI and MHIET have prior experience in hydrogen R&D: MHI has been developing zero-CO2 emission products, while MHIET has also been developing hydrogen engines and has been partnering with AIST to conduct hydrogen engine combustion research since FY2019. MHIET plans to replace its gas engine generator with EBLOX, its triple-hybrid, self-sustaining power supply system, including a hydrogen engine generator. MHI has stated that it will continue to contribute to an energy-stable and carbon-free society by utilizing solar power, batteries, and hydrogen energy.[1]

[1] https://www.mhi.com/jp/news/210121.html

[Japan] J-Power has Begun Hydrogen Production for a Japan-Australia Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain Pilot Project

J-Power, a Tokyo-based Japanese power producer, announced on February 1, 2021 that it has begun hydrogen production at a coal gasification and hydrogen refining facility located in Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia. The hydrogen production is part of its Japan-Australia Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain Pilot Project, which aims to develop and demonstrate technologies for hydrogen production, storage and distribution, and to facilitate the creation of a hydrogen supply chain in Japan.

The project is financially supported by the Victoria state government and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO, Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese public R&D funding organization. The CO₂-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association (HySTRA)[1] and the Australian Consortium[2] are also cooperating in the project. HySTRA is also separately carrying out a demonstration project led by NEDO for the establishment of a mass hydrogen marine transportation supply chain derived from unused brown coal (lignite).[3]

Victoria has abundant lignite resources. The coal has a high moisture content and is considered unsuitable for exporting and it is normally exclusively used by power plants adjacent to the mining sites. However, lignite can be converted into a syngas containing hydrogen. J-Power believes that the hydrogen from undeveloped lignite reserves in Australia has the potential to accommodate Japan's electricity demand. The project therefore aims to optimize the utilization of Australia’s lignite. J-Power is responsible for operating the demonstration facility for the coal gasification and hydrogen refining.

The hydrogen generated at the demonstration plant will be shipped from the port of Hastings in Victoria, Australia to the hydrogen discharging terminal on Kobe Airport Island. In the future, J-Power will collaborate and integrate with the CarbonNet project, a CO2 storage project being promoted by the Commonwealth of Australia and the Victoria state government, in order to manage the CO2 generated from the project. The by-product CO2 will be captured and stored underground. Through these projects, J-Power hopes to contribute to the formation of a hydrogen supply chain in Japan, as well as the realization of a decarbonized society. [4] [5]

[1] The CO₂-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association (HySTRA) comprises J-Power; Iwatani (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), a trading company supplying gases for industrial and household use; Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI, Headquarters: Tokyo) , a heavy machinery manufacturer; Shell Japan (Headquarter: Tokyo); Marubeni (Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese major integrated trading and investment business conglomerate; ENEOS (Headquarters: Tokyo), a petroleum company; and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese transportation company.

[2] The Australian consortium consists of J-Power, Iwatani (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), a trading company supplying gases for industrial and household use; Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI, Headquarters: Tokyo), a heavy machinery manufacturer; Marubeni (Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese major integrated trading and investment business conglomerate; Sumitomo (Headquarters: Tokyo), a Japanese major integrated trading and investment business conglomerate; and AGL Energy (Headquarters: Sydney, Australia), an Australian utility.

[3] http://www.hystra.or.jp/about/

[4] https://www.jpower.co.jp/news_release/2021/02/news210201.html

[5] https://www.jpower.co.jp/english/news_release/pdf/news210201e.pdf

[Japan] KEPCO Joined the Preparatory Committee to Establish the Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council

On October 14, 2020, Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO, Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) announced that it had joined the Preparatory Committee which will work to establish the Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council by early December 2020. The Council will seek to promote global cooperation in the development of the hydrogen sector and the formation of hydrogen supply chains. The Preparatory Committee consists of nine companies[1] including KEPCO.[2]

Many countries, including Japan, are currently working towards the realization of a hydrogen society due to the potential for hydrogen technologies to help reduce CO2 emissions. The Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council will take the following actions:

·       Promote cross-cutting initiatives to build a hydrogen value chain.

·       Accelerate the application of hydrogen technologies to solve societal needs and challenges.

·       Promote the creation of a hydrogen financing scheme in collaboration with financial institutions.

Prior to joining the Preparatory Committee, KEPCO has already been working on accelerating the development of hydrogen technology, such as establishing Hydro Edge (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture)[3], a joint venture involving KEPCO and other investors that manufactures and sells liquid hydrogen. KEPCO has also conducted a series of hydrogen demonstration tests and studies with the support of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO, Headquarters: Tokyo). The research has included demonstrations of the efficiency of hydrogen co-generation systems (CGS) and hydrogen-fueled gas turbine operations with dry low NOx combustion technology[4], as well as exploring the possibility of integrating hydrogen into existing thermal power plants.

KEPCO plans to further accelerate its efforts to promote hydrogen utilization as a member of the committee through collaboration with the other participating organizations and businesses to explore hydrogen’s potential and through future work to overcome barriers to the realization of a hydrogen society.[5]

[1] The Preparatory Committee consists of KEPCO; Iwatani (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), a trading company supplying gases for industrial and household use ; ENEOS (Headquarters: Tokyo), a petroleum company ; Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI, Headquarters: Tokyo) , a heavy machinery manufacturer; Kobe Steel (Headquarters: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture), a steel manufacturer ; Toshiba (Headquarters: Tokyo); Toyota (Headquarters: Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture); Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (Headquarters: Tokyo), a financing group provides banking services ; and Mitsui & Co (Headquarters: Tokyo) , a Japanese trading company.

[2] https://www.kepco.co.jp/corporate/pr/2020/pdf/1014_2j_01.pdf

[3] http://hydroedge.co.jp/

[4] https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/AA5en_100427.html

[5] https://www.kepco.co.jp/corporate/pr/2020/1014_2j.html

[USA] NextEra announces record renewables, expanded green hydrogen in Q3 earnings call

During its Q3 earnings call on October 21, 2020, Florida-based NextEra announced that the backlog of renewable energy projects that the utility expects to construct over the next few years now exceeds 15 GW, more than the total current renewables portfolio of its wholesale generating subsidiary, NextEra Energy Resources.[1] Since the beginning of 2020, NextEra has signed contracts for roughly 4,800 MW of renewable projects, including 2,200 MW between July and September. The 4,800 MW includes 1,000 MW of solar and storage projects for NiSource Inc.'s Northern Indiana Public Service Co. and a 325-MW, four-hour battery storage system in California that NextEra claims will be the largest in the world. NextEra Resources is also planning on moving into green hydrogen and aims to replicate the approach it has used to build its renewable energy portfolio. NextEra Energy Resources has developed a pipeline of approximately 50 potential green hydrogen projects spanning the power, transportation and industrial sectors.

[1] http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/~/media/Files/N/NEE-IR/reports-and-fillings/quarterly-earnings/2020/Q3/NEEQ32020News%20Release%20Final.pdf

[Japan] NEDO and the Advanced Hydrogen Energy Chain Association for Technology Development Jointly Conducted the World’s First Global Hydrogen Supply Chain Demonstration Project

On June 25, 2020, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO, Headquarters: Tokyo) and the Advanced Hydrogen Energy Chain Association for Technology Development (AHEAD, Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture)[1] announced that they have conducted the world's first global hydrogen supply chain demonstration project, which transports hydrogen from Brunei Darussalam to Japan. NEDO is Japan’s largest public R&D funding organization specialized in innovative energy technologies. AHEAD was established in 2017 by four Japanese companies: global chemical engineering company Chiyoda (Headquarters: Yokomaha City, Kanagawa Prefecture)[2], Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen (Headquarters: Tokyo)[3], and two Japanese trading companies, Mitsui & Co (Headquarters: Tokyo)[4] and Mitsubishi (Headquarters: Tokyo).[5] AHEAD is an association that supports hydrogen research in order to accelerate the development of hydrogen supply chains.

The project uses the "organic chemical hydride method" to build the hydrogen supply chain. Methylcyclohexane (MCH) generated in Brunei is transported by sea to Japan. The MCH is then separated into hydrogen and toluene at a dehydrogenation plant located in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. The toluene is then sent back to Brunei’s hydrogeneration plant and processed to re-bond with hydrogen.

The first MCH transportation process was carried out in December 2019. The dehydrogenation plant in Kawasaki City began extracting hydrogen from MCH in April 2020 and has been supplying hydrogen to the gas turbine of the Mizue power plant owned by Toa Oil (Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture) since May 2020.[6] In June 2020, the project began transporting the toluene processed by the Kawasaki dehydrogenation plant to Brunei. NEDO and the AHEAD will operate the demonstration test until the end of 2020 to evaluate the performance of the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation plant equipment and identify any issues.

NEDO has contributed to the development of hydrogen technology since FY2015. Through this project, NEDO intends to establish a large-scale hydrogen utilization system that can transport hydrogen from overseas and use it for Japan’s hydrogen power generation.[7]

[1] https://www.ahead.or.jp/jp/organization.html

[2] https://www.chiyodacorp.com/jp/about/profile/

[3] https://www.nyk.com/profile/profile/

[4] https://www.mitsui.com/jp/ja/company/outline/profile/index.html

[5] https://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/ja/about/profile/

[6] https://www.toaoil.co.jp/company/location.html

[7] https://www.nedo.go.jp/news/press/AA5_101322.html

［Japan］ The Second Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting and the First International Conference on Carbon Recycling were held by METI and NEDO in Tokyo

On September 25, 2019, a series of international conferences; the Second Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting and the First International Conference on Carbon Recycling, were held in Tokyo by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). NEDO is Japan’s largest public R&D funding institute specialized in new clean energy technologies.[1]

 Representatives from 35 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, as well as international organizations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission (EC), attended the Second Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting. The Meeting consisted of two sessions; a Ministerial Session and an International Organization Session.

 The Ministerial Session facilitated talks between countries and concluded the Global Action Agenda, setting goals and roadmaps for utilizing hydrogen energy as a key technology to reduce carbon emissions in the energy systems. During the International Organization Session, delegations from global leading companies, as well as the IEA and the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), presented the latest development efforts for hydrogen technologies. These technologies fall under the four areas of cross-cutting activities, transportation/mobility applications, hydrogen supply chains, and cross-sector integration.

 Simultaneously, representatives from 20 countries and international organizations participated in the First International Conference on Carbon Recycling. The conference marked the world’s first international meeting on carbon recycling technologies, and focused on promoting international collaborations. During the meeting, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr. Isshu Sugawara, presented on Japan’s “Carbon Recycling 3C Initiative ”, which stands for Caravan (promoting mutual exchanges), Center of Research, and Collaboration. This initiative aims to deepen knowledge about carbon recycling technologies overseas, establish research centers to specialize in R&D activities, and strengthen international collaborations. Representatives from various countries also shared their progress in carbon recycling technologies development.[2]

[1] https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/introducing_index.html

[2] https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2019/09/20190927003/20190927003.html