SUSTAINABILITY

HARNESSINGHYDROGEN

Hydrogen supply chain

Japan plans to produce inexpensive hydrogen from various sources
and to develop an international hydrogen supply chain.

Utilization
Transportation

Industrial application

Energy source
Hydrogenproduction
H2Log ist

ic sPower generation

TO REALIZE A CARBON-FREE SOCIETY

Household fuel cell

Hydrogen is garnering attention as a crucial energy resource in achieving carbon neutrality since it does not emit
carbon dioxide (CO2) when combusted as an energy source. As a global pioneer in utilizing hydrogen, Japan isstriving to achieve decarbonization by further promoting hydrogen energy.
With the effects of global warming-induced
climate change becoming an increasing threat, many
countries and regions are accelerating their efforts
toward carbon neutrality for the sake of sustainable
development. One of the keys identified for realizing
the important goal of achieving carbon neutrality isenergy produced through hydrogen, the combustionof which produces no CO2 emissions. In the “Green
Growth Strategy,” formulated in response to Japan’s
pledge to become carbon neutral by 2050, hydrogenuse was positioned as one of the top priorities. Upto JPY 370 billion (USD 3.4 billion) of Japan’s
2-trillion-yen fund to support the development ofdecarbonization technology has been allotted tohydrogen projects.
In addition to producing no CO2 when combusted,hydrogen’s advantage is that it offers various
applications, including power generation and heating.

The Government of Japan has been an early mover inthe field, drawing up a hydrogen utilization roadmap
in 2014 and formulating the Basic Hydrogen Strategy
in 2017, the first of its kind in the world. Japan has also
backed the development of fuel cells, which generate
electricity and heat by combining hydrogen withoxygen. In 2014, Toyota Motor Corporation released
the Mirai, the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell
Left: The Toyota Mirai, the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle, wasreleased in 2014. Right: Fuel cells are also being developed for heavy-duty trucks,
which account for a high proportion of CO2 emissions by commercial vehicles.

Developing hydrogen carriers is critical to creating aninternational supply chain. Shown in the photo is theSuiso Frontier, the first-ever liquid hydrogen carrier.

vehicle. Further development will produce syntheticfuels for use in aircraft and maritime vessels, which are
made by reacting hydrogen with CO2 captured fromfactories and elsewhere.
Although hydrogen is rarely found naturally on
Earth as an isolated substance, it can be produced
from various raw materials. One method is to makehydrogen from fossil fuels and capture the CO2
released as a byproduct. Another is to use renewableenergy to extract hydrogen from water throughelectrolysis. In addition, since liquefying hydrogenthrough ultra-low temperatures (below -253°C)
reduces its volume, allowing compact storage andtransportation, renewable energy could be widelydistributed if kept in that form.
KASHIWAGI Takao, a leading researcher onenergy systems and the chairperson of the Council for
a Strategy for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (establishedby the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry),has been involved in Japan’s hydrogen policymaking
for many years. Kashiwagi says, “It’s essential to makethe widespread shift to hydrogen by 2030, but todecarbonize thereafter, we need cleaner hydrogenproduced from renewable energy. At present, however,producing such hydrogen tends to be expensive, andthe issue is how to reduce its cost. Having acted early
to utilize hydrogen, Japan has the technical prowess tocreate solutions to this problem.”One possibility is the development of aninternational hydrogen supply chain. Kawasaki
Heavy Industries, Ltd. has developed the Suiso
Frontier, the world’s first liquid hydrogen carrier.
As early as this fall, Kawasaki Heavy Industries willconduct a verification test in which hydrogen—produced in Australia from the country’s affordable
and abundant lignite with carbon capture and storage
technology—will be liquefied and then carried to theport of Kobe, Japan. If hydrogen can be transported
by sea, then places that can generate large amounts ofaffordable renewable energy could supply hydrogenfor shipment across the globe. The use of hydrogenin sectors such as transport, industry, and power
generation would contribute to decarbonization.
Meanwhile, Kashiwagi says that community-levelapproaches to steadily promoting the local production
and consumption of hydrogen are also vital toaccelerating the creation of a hydrogen-based society. Forexample, the town of Namie in Fukushima Prefectureuses solar power to produce hydrogen in a pilot project
to provide electricity to households in the area.
“No country can build a hydrogen society by itself,”
Kashiwagi said, adding, “Japan will work with theinternational community to build a global societythat can enjoy the benefits of hydrogen energy,
thereby contributing to the achievement of carbon
neutrality around the world.” 
KASHIWAGI Takao,
emeritus professor at theTokyo Institute ofTechnology andchairperson of theCouncil for a Strategy for
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells,
says, “Because of its
powerful chemicalindustry, Japan could
become an energy
exporter by producing
carbon-free synthetic fuel.”