Japanese trio to work on digital platform for CO2 accounting

Osaka Gas, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and IBM Japan will conduct a proof of concept (PoC) of a system enabling visualisation of the environmental value of synthetic methane, in the context of CO₂ emissions across the entire supply chain, they said in a joint statement on October 21.

The system will make use of CO₂NNEX, a digital platform for visualising the CO₂ supply chain being developed by MHI and IBM Japan targeted at optimisation of synthetic methane’s environmental value.

In undertaking the PoC, the three partners will also exchange views with the Japan Gas Association, Tokyo Gas, Toho Gas, and Inpex Corporation aiming for increased adoption of synthetic methane and the establishment of its environmental value.

The PoC to be jointly implemented is an initiative aimed at visualizing CO₂ emission volumes across the entire supply chain, from synthetic methane’s production to supply and combustion.

“The results of the PoC are expected to be useful for achieving visualisation of the CO₂ supply chain within CCU, setting CO₂’s trading methods, transferring its environmental value, and estimating the carbon footprint of synthetic methane supply recipients,” the companies said.

CO₂NNEX is a digital platform created for CCUS aimed at connecting CO₂-related ecosystems and accelerating the expanded use of environmental value.

Under the current initiative, CO₂NNEX will be applied to visualise original information on CO₂ and hydrogen – the materials from which synthetic methane is made – and the CO₂ emission volumes generated throughout synthetic methane’s lifecycle, from production to transport, supply and combustion.

By providing this traceable data, a shared platform will be developed for realising visualization of synthetic methane’s environmental value. The project also aims to incorporate future enhancement of trade – for example, through transfer of synthetic methane’s environmental values – and to develop a system to serve as an industry standard usable by other manufacturers of synthetic methane.