Japan's MHI invests in US hydrogen start up

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on August 17 unveiled a strategic investment in Advanced Ionics, a startup headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, specialising in low-temperature water vapor electrolysis technology to generate hydrogen.

This investment, channeled through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America (MHIA), aligns MHI with a consortium of investors that includes BP Ventures, Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), and other key stakeholders.

Advanced Ionics is at the forefront of developing a water vapor electrolyzer that harnesses low-temperature water vapor (derived from 100°C) to generate hydrogen with a 30% reduction in power consumption compared to conventional water electrolyzers.

The use of low-temperature water vapor, which can be produced utilising existing industrial heat sources, holds the potential to emerge as a highly efficient, locally sourced decarbonisation solution, MHI said.

Industries such as steel, ammonia production, and oil refineries, equipped with available industrial heat and hydrogen utilisation, are poised to benefit from this innovation, MHI added. Additionally, the technology's prospects extend to future applications in hydrogen production through heat and power derived from nuclear, geothermal, and solar thermal power plants.