## ■ Future initiatives

The amount of biogas generated from sewage sludge in FY 2013 was approximately 330 million $ Nm^{3} $ , but approximately 30% (89 million $ Nm^{3} $ ) was just incinerated, so the gas is not fully effectively used. If producing hydrogen from the unused biogas, the amount would be equivalent to that which can fill fuel cell vehicles 2.7 million times. Like this, the hydrogen production from sewage sludge has a great potential.

MLIT promotes efforts toward realization of supply and utilization of hydrogen from sewage sludge, one of renewable energy, through support for technology development, for project formulation by feasibility studies, and for commercialization.

MIRAI, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered car, and a hydrogen fueling station

Source) MLIT

## (4) Promotion of Solar Power Generation using Infrastructure Space

Based on the changes in energy supply and demand triggered by the Great Eastern Japanese Earthquake, and in addition to the effective utilization of the vast spaces of sewage treatment plants, ports and harbors, and airport facilities, steps have been taken to ensure the installation and placement of solar power generation facilities by public entities in public infrastructure spaces, such as government buildings and railway stations, and for private businesses that can install such facilities in roads and urban parks.

## (5) Promotion of contribution towards the hydrogen society

With the need for hydrogen energy expected to expand in the future, such as fuel cells for residential use (introduced to the market in 2009) and fuel-cell cars (introduced to the market in 2014), MLIT is working on realizing a hydrogen energy fueled society by preparing a conducive environment for the manufacturing, storage/transportation and usage of hydrogen.

### a. Promotion of dissemination of fuel-cell cars

To work towards the world’s fastest dissemination of fuel-cell cars, MLIT will support fuel-cell car introduction projects by private businesses. MLIT will also steadily pursue the technological development of hydrogen energy, as it is important to achieve early utilization of things like fuel-cell buses and fuel-cell forklifts, as they are projected to create a relatively consistent demand for hydrogen.

### b. Initiatives for the commercialization of vessels powered by hydrogen fuel cells

We are developing a foundation for enabling private-sector companies to participate in efforts to promote the use of hydrogen in the maritime sector, such as by conducting studies on the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vessels with exceptional environmental capabilities and formulating safety guidelines.

### c. Setting up the marine transportation system for liquefied hydrogen

Since FY 2015, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and other companies have been producing hydrogen through the use of brown coal, an unutilized energy source in Australia, and implementing a project to establish a supply chain for transporting liquid hydrogen to Japan in connection with a project implemented by the METI to verify the establishment of a supply chain for hydrogen derived from unutilized energy sources.

To this end, the MLIT has, in conjunction with these initiatives, spearheaded efforts to set global safety standards needed for the safe marine transportation of liquid hydrogen on a multilateral basis through the IMO (International Maritime Organization). In order to establish a safe, highly efficient method of loading and unloading liquid hydrogen, energy carriers associated with the Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) have been engaging in research and