Five Japanese firms announce hydrogen pact
Chiyoda Corp, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co. and NYK Line have signed a pact to supply hydrogen produced in Brunei for use in Eneos Corp’s refinery decarbonisation trials, the companies said on August 10.
The hydrogen, which will be delivered via a saturated hydrocarbon called methylcyclohexane (MCH), will be supplied by the Advanced Hydrogen Energy Chain Association for Technology Development (Ahead).
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Ahead was established in 2017 by Chiyoda, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and NYK Line to conduct experimental research on and plan the practical application of hydrogen supply chains. Backed by funding from Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation, Ahead successfully completed trials of the world’s first international shipment of MCH and stable extraction of its hydrogen in 2020, when it delivered MCH produced in Brunei to Japan.
For the Eneos trials, which are being funded by Japan’s consortium for resilient oil supply (CROS), Ahead will ship the MCH using chemicals tankers and other carriers.
At present, most of the industrial-use hydrogen in Japan is consumed during the desulfurisation process at petroleum refineries. This so-called grey hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels in processes, emits CO2. By replacing it with CO2-free hydrogen derived from MCH can help to reduce industrial CO2 emissions.
“For that reason, Ahead’s supply of MCH for the Eneos trials promises to be a significant step towards using this organic compound more broadly as a means of transporting and storing hydrogen,” the companies said.