Hazer, Chubu, Chiyoda plan hydrogen facility in Japan

Australia’s Hazer Group has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with utility Chubu Electric and engineering firm Chiyoda Corp. to jointly prepare a project development plan for a hydrogen production facility in the Chubu region in Japan, it said on April 11.

Chubu plans to use the produced hydrogen as a fuel for power generation, and other hard to abate industries, as well as mobility, in the Nagoya area. The plant will be based on Hazer’s proprietary technology.

The Hazer process is a low-emission hydrogen and graphitic carbon production process. It enables the conversion of natural gas and similar methane feedstocks, into hydrogen and advanced carbon materials, using iron ore as a process catalyst, according to the company. 

The project’s production facility will be between 50,000 and 100,000 metric tons/year, planned to be achieved in stages, Hazer said. The initial hydrogen production capacity is currently anticipated to be between 2,500 and 10,000 metric tons/yr.

The parties have agreed to complete the PDP during 1H 2024, and will concurrently develop the relevant definitive partnership and commercial agreements, targeting the initial start-up of the facility in the late 2020s. The MoU has an initial term until year-end 2023 to enable the negotiation of definitive agreements and can be extended by mutual agreement.

Hazer, Chubu Electric and Chiyoda will form a project group for the development and implementation of the project. The project group is considering graphite offtake opportunities, Hazer said.