Sumitomo, Tokyo Gas to install 2 MW PEM electrolyser, using ITM technology
The demonstration project will be shared by both partners and utilised for future business development.
Two Japanese companies, Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., will conduct a joint hydrogen utilisation demonstration experiment at the Tokyo Gas Yokohama Techno Station.
The project involved an HGas3SP model 2 MW polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolyser developed by ITM Power Plc. The electrolyser will come in a 40-foot container Chiller/air blast and will produce hydrogen at 30.9 kg/h hydrogen. The demonstration project will be verifying the operation of ITM Power’s large water electrolyser, the first such project using foreign-made large water electrolyser in Japan.
Sumitomo aims to supply a 2 MW water electrolyser with hydrogen discharge pressure according to the Japanese domestic regulations with a standard specification of 2 MPa to less than 1 MPa. The electrolyser will be installed at Tokyo Gas Yokohama Techno Station by June 2022. The electrolyser will be operated under various operating conditions to assess the performance to learn the know-how, including equipment operation and construction of related facilities. The hydrogen produced will be used for the R&D of hydrogen utilisation at Tokyo Gas Yokohama Techno Station to achieve decarbonisation.
Hajime Mori, Energy Division General Manager, Sumitomo Corporation, said, “At Sumitomo Corporation, we will continue to accelerate our efforts to build a hydrogen-based society to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 and realise sustainable energy cycles.”
Hisataka Yakabe, General Manager of Hydrogen & Carbon Management Technology Strategy Department, Tokyo Gas, said, “Through this demonstration, we will accumulate operational know-how on large water electrolysers, accelerate their social implementation in combination with the development of direct hydrogen utilisation and methanation technologies.”
Graham Cooley, CEO, ITM Power, said, “It is an honour for us to deploy our first electrolyser in Japan with Tokyo Gas. Together with our partner Sumitomo Corporation, we are looking forward to demonstrating how PEM electrolysis can make a major contribution to decarbonising industry and energy in Japan.”
The Japanese government has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and supply over 420k tonnes/year of clean hydrogen. Most Japanese companies have also set their carbon neutrality goals in line with the national target. Tokyo Gas Group is also enhancing its technology to decarbonise gas-state sources of energy.
Sumitomo Corporation is partnered with ITM since 2018 for developing its polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser for the Japanese market. The project is expected to support Japan clean hydrogen production initiative and promote ITM technology in the Japanese market.
