Joint Discussions on Green Hydrogen Supply in Hokkaido's Chitose Area

TOKYO, June 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd. (TTE), Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO), and Air Water Hokkaido Inc. (AWH) are pleased to announce our signing of a joint development agreement to jointly discuss the provision of green hydrogen in Hokkaido's Chitose area.

Hydrogen can be produced by electricity and other sources of energy, and because it does not emit CO2 when burned, it is expected to play a significant role in realizing carbon neutrality. The Basic Hydrogen Strategy, updated by the Japanese government in June 2023, well refers to the importance of establishing a domestic supply chain of hydrogen from the viewpoint of Japan’s energy policy. Furthermore, a broad range of industries has shown high expectations toward the utilization of hydrogen not only as next generation fuels but also as raw materials in the production of ammonia, methane and other chemicals.

Chitose is the area of home to the Hokkaido's aviation gateway, where it has New Chitose Airport, surrounded by industrial zones occupied by a variety of manufacturers. The fact that the area has been selected as the site for the next-generation semiconductor plant will likely fuel the need for green hydrogen as a means of decarbonization. In February 2022, Chitose City announced their "Zero Carbon City Chitose" agenda, which outlines a local-production-for-local-consumption green hydrogen plan intended to help the city achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050.

On May 31, 2024, our “Feasibility Study on the green hydrogen supply in Chitose City and the related infrastructure development in view of collaboration with other locations throughout Hokkaido” was adopted eligible by Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy for the subsidy designed to support the cluster development. Building upon the joint development agreement and taking into consideration the needs of our customers, MC, TTE, HEPCO and AWH will investigate site location suitable for hydrogen supply and storage, and verify optimal transportation methods to realize green hydrogen local-production-for-local-consumption.

With the support from Hokkaido Prefecture, Chitose City and our valued customers, we aim to establish a hydrogen cluster by 2030 and materialize the green hydrogen supply chain in the wider Chitose area by collaborating with projects in other locations.

About Mitsubishi Corporation (MC)

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses together with its global network of around 1,800 group companies.

MC has eight Business Groups that operate across virtually every industry: Environmental Energy, Materials Solution, Mineral Resources, Urban Development & Infrastructure, Mobility, Food Industry, Smart-Life Creation and Power Solution. Through these eight Business Groups, MC's current activities have expanded far beyond its traditional trading operations to include project development, production and manufacturing operations, working in collaboration with our trusted partners around the globe.

With an unwavering commitment to conducting business with integrity and fairness, MC remains fully dedicated to growing its businesses while contributing to a prosperous society.

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