Asahi Kasei starts operation of multi-module hydrogen pilot plant in Kawasaki
May 14 2024 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
Important milestone towards realization of 100
MW-class alkaline-water electrolysis systems
The Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei is further
accelerating its hydrogen business activities. On May 13, company
representatives and partners including the Japanese government
celebrated the official opening of a new hydrogen pilot plant in
Kawasaki, Japan. Operation start of this commercial-scale facility
was in March 2024. The trial operation of four 0.8 MW modules is
another milestone towards the realization of a commercial
multi-module 100 MW-class alkaline water electrolysis system for
green hydrogen production.
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Asahi Kasei's multi-module hydrogen pilot
plant in Kawasaki (Photo: Business Wire)
The hydrogen market is going to expand rapidly in the coming
years. According to the Hydrogen Council, cumulative global
installed capacity of water electrolyzers forecasted to reach
approximately 300 GW by 2030. To meet this increasing demand, Asahi
Kasei is currently developing the Aqualyzer™ alkaline water
electrolyzer optimized for the production of green hydrogen.
In order to test this new system under realistic conditions in a
multi-module setup, the company started constructing a pilot plant
at its manufacturing site in Kawasaki in November 2022. The new
facility started operation in March 2024, and on May 13, company
representatives and partners gathered in Kawasaki to celebrate its
official opening.
Multi-module approach for easy scale-up
Masami Takenaka, Lead Executive Officer at Asahi Kasei and
responsible for the company’s hydrogen business, said, “This pilot
facility is milestone not only for Asahi Kasei, but also for the
global hydrogen business in general. We believe that successfully
operating our equipment in this test facility will be a door opener
for commercial large-scale multi-module alkaline water
electrolyzers and eventually the realization of a hydrogen
society”.
For the production of green hydrogen, electrolysis systems need
to respond to fluctuating power supply from renewable energy
sources such as wind or solar. In the pilot plant, four 0.8 MW
Aqualyzer™ modules are being operated under realistic conditions,
including operation during maintenance and low power supply during
nighttime. In addition, the equipment is designed to simulate
fluctuating power input from solar or wind power. By utilizing the
data obtained from these trials, Asahi Kasei will further optimize
the equipment design, operation methods, and control technology of
the electrolysis system. With its multi-module approach, Asahi
Kasei aims to combine up to ten modules with a capacity of 10 MW
each, enabling commercial large-scale electrolysis systems with a
capacity of up to 100 MW.
Start of commercialization in 2025
Asahi Kasei’s hydrogen business is based on more than four
decades of large-scale and long-term experience in the field of
chlor-alkali electrolysis. Aiming for a total sales volume of ¥100
billion (€600 million) by 2030, the company plans to start
commercial business activities for its alkaline water electrolyzers
in 2025.
The pilot plant in Kawasaki is an important step toward
achieving this goal, after the successful long-term tests of its 10
MW single-stack alkaline-water electrolysis system at the Fukushima
Energy Research Field (FH2R)1 in Namie, Fukushima, Japan, since
2020. The practical experience gained in Namie and the trial
operation at the pilot plant in Kawasaki will further underpin
Asahi Kasei’s market entry with large-scale and highly reliable
multi-module alkaline water electrolysis equipment. This experience
will also be leveraged for the joint feasibility study with Gentari
and JGC for a 60 MW-class electrolyzer in Malaysia targeted for
2027, as announced in November 2023.
Construction and operation of the pilot plant is supported by
the “Green Innovation Fund2” of Japan’s New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
For more information regarding Asahi Kasei’s alkaline water
electrolyzers, please visit: https://ak-green-solution.com/
For a visual overview, view our video:
https://youtu.be/LChkRlosk20
About Asahi Kasei
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people
around the world. Since its founding in 1922 with ammonia and
cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown
through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to
meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 48,000
employees worldwide, the company contributes to a sustainable
society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through
its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its
Material sector, comprised of Environmental Solutions, Mobility
& Industrial, and Life Innovation, includes a wide array of
products from battery separators and biodegradable textiles to
engineering plastics and sound solutions. For more information,
visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/.
Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and
is contributing to reaching a carbon-neutral society by 2050. To
learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.
1 Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society /
Development of Hydrogen Energy Utilization Systems / Technical
development concerning business model construction and large-scale
proof of a hydrogen system for energy reuse 2 Green Innovation Fund
/ Hydrogen Production through Water Electrolysis Using Power from
Renewables / Technology development for increasing the size of
water electrolysers, and Power-to-X large-scale demonstrations /
Large-scale Alkaline Water Electrolysis System Development and
Green Chemical Plant Demonstration
See also: Asahi Kasei starts construction of alkaline water
electrolysis pilot test plant for hydrogen production Asahi Kasei,
Gentari, and JGC signed MOU on FEED study for 60 MW class alkaline
water electrolyser to produce green hydrogen in Malaysia
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240514748940/en/
North America Contact: Asahi Kasei America Inc. Christian
OKeefe christian.okeefe@ak-america.com
Europe Contact: Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH Sebastian Schmidt
sebastian.schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu