Nedo adopts a joint project to develop electrolyzers

Nippon Shokubai co., Ltd. and Tokuyama Corporation announced that their joint project has been selected for adoption under New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

The project combines Nippon Shokubai’s development of large separators suited to high-pressure electrolysis with Tokyuma’s development of internal structures for electrolyzers that maximize separator performance to develop globally competitive High-pressure AWEs. Separators developed by Nippon Shokubai will be incorporated into pilot equipment for High-pressure AWEs developed by Tokuyama for further research and development.

Ahead of the Project, work has begun on establishing production and development facilities for normal-pressure AWEs at Tokuyama’s Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (Yanai-shi, Yamaguchi) to achieve commercialization by fiscal 2025. Original technologies related to electrolyzers built up over many years in the brine electrolysis business will also be applied to High-pressure AWEs. Tokuyama will accelerate efforts in this field to make such technologies useful in the supply of next-generation energy.

Nippon Shokubai is expanding its solution business to realize the long-term vision that sets out our goals for 2030. With an eye to expected medium- to long-term growth in the green hydrogen market, we are developing these separators utilizing our original organic-inorganic composite technology and sheet-forming technology and have succeeded in developing separators with widths of up to 1.2 m. By developing large separators compatible with high-pressure electrolysis, the project will contribute to more efficient hydrogen production and support the realization of a green hydrogen society.

Through the Project, Nippon Shokubai and Tokuyama will further refine their respective technological strengths and proactively contribute to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and building a sustainable society.