Japanese companies to explore hydrogen supply chain in Chubu Region
The project will assess supply chains from import terminals to consumers and identify challenges with finding their solutions.
A consortium comprised of Sumitomo Corporation, Chiyoda Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan Research Institute, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has been appointed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (Nedo) to conduct a feasibility study on the receiving and distribution business of hydrogen in Chubu Region.
Nedo selected the consortium in the public offering for ‘Development of Technologies for Realising a Hydrogen Society/Regional Hydrogen Utilization Technology Development/Hydrogen Production and Utilization Potential Research’. The study is scheduled to be conducted during 2021-2022.
The feasibility study is based on the previous study of potential hydrogen demand in the Chubu region by the Hydrogen Utilization Study Group conducted in February 2021. This study will focus on developing a large-scale hydrogen supply chain and will address the economic viability of the large-scale receiving and distribution business and sort out financial, technical and regulatory challenges for commercialisation assuming that hydrogen is imported in the Chubu region.
Iwatani Corporation, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Air Liquide Japan G.K, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Eneos Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., JFE Engineering Corporation, Nippon Steel Corporation will also provide support to the study.
To achieve the project goal, ‘Social implementation of hydrogen in Chubu Region in 2025’ in line with carbon neutrality in Japan in 2050, further progress toward the Feed (Front End Engineering Design) stage will be considered with the completion of this study.
