Asia/Pacific News
Japan: Imports Could Play Role in Hydrogen Economy
While the cost of domestic renewable power generation in Japan remains high, hydrogen imports have the potential to contribute a significant share of the country's hydrogen supply.
With an expected hydrogen import volume of 300,000 mt/year by 2030, Japan has partnered in major projects on liquid hydrogen transport, Kan Sichao, a researcher at Japan's Institute of Energy Economics was reported as saying by SP Global Platts.
"The key next step for Japan is to reduce the cost of carbon dioxide-free hydrogen supply," Kan was quoted as saying.
"Japan needs to bring down the domestic renewable power generation cost as well as the shipping cost of hydrogen from other countries."
Japanese firm Kawasaki launched the world's first liquid hydrogen-carrying ship late last year while several other Japanese firm are also making sizable investments in the future hydrogen economy.
Japan's hydrogen supply derives from carbon dioxide-free green and blue hydrogen, supplied either from domestic renewable power or seaborne imports.
Some of the possible green hydrogen routes include Japan's domestic renewable power, solar energy from Chile, hydropower from Canada and Russia, and photovoltaic solar or wind energy from Australia and the Middle East, according to Kan.
Some of the possible blue hydrogen routes include coal and carbon capture and storage from Australia.
