DENSO & DENSO Fukushima plan for a carbon-neutral plant using hydrogen
DENSO Corporation and DENSO Fukushima Corporation today announced that they will start a demonstration project at DENSO Fukushima in March 2023 to produce and use green hydrogen at its plant in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation as part of the initiative to realize carbon-neutral manufacturing.
Through the demonstration project, the two companies aim to build a model of local production for local consumption of hydrogen and realize carbon-neutral plants.
Under the slogan of “Bringing hope for the future for our planet, society, and all people” set out in the Long-term Policy 2030, the DENSO Group has been working to maximize the value proposition in the “Green” and “Peace of Mind” fields. In the “Green” field, it has been making various efforts related to manufacturing, mobility products, and energy use to realize carbon neutrality.
Inspired by the concept of social implementation for the development of future cities using hydrogen and related technologies in Fukushima Prefecture initiated by the Fukushima Prefectural Government and Toyota in June 2021, DENSO and DENSO Fukushima have participated as partner companies in a project to realize carbon-neutral factories by using hydrogen as part of the initiative.
DENSO and DENSO Fukushima will embark on a demonstration project in collaboration with Toyota to produce green hydrogen at DENSO Fukushima’s plant and use the produced hydrogen in the plant gas furnace.
In terms of producing hydrogen, Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system equipment developed by Toyota will be introduced to produce hydrogen through the electrolysis of water. Renewable energy derived from private power generation at DENSO Fukushima will be used to produce hydrogen. The PEM electrolyzer system offers high reliability and durability and low initial costs by using the same stack-related components as Toyota’s FCEV “MIRAI,” making it possible to produce hydrogen more cheaply than before.
Through the demonstration project, we will build a model that can optimally introduce the required amount of hydrogen according to the size of the factories by establishing a package from hydrogen production to utilization. The project aims to expand the partnership to promote the use of hydrogen in the Fukushima region, with DENSO Fukushima serving as the hub and spreading the model of local production for local consumption of hydrogen from Fukushima Prefecture to the rest of Japan.
DENSO and DENSO Fukushima will spread the use of hydrogen from Fukushima, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality at the plant and, as a model plant for carbon neutrality in the DENSO Group, accelerate the realization of carbon neutrality in the production activities of the entire DENSO Group and contribute to carbon-neutral manufacturing and a carbon neutral society.
