Press Releases

Asahi Kasei’s alkaline water electrolysis system of 10 MW, the world’s largest scale, selected for the Fukushima Hydrogen Research Field in Namie

August 10, 2018
Asahi Kasei Corp.

Asahi Kasei and its subsidiary Asahi Kasei Engineering Corp. have received an order from Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp. for an alkaline water electrolysis system of the world-leading scale of 10 MW in a single unit to be installed at the Fukushima Hydrogen Research Field in Namie, Futaba, Fukushima, Japan.

Development of the large-scale alkaline water electrolysis system featuring high energy efficiency and outstanding responsiveness with fluctuating output was achieved based on Asahi Kasei’s world-leading chlor-alkali electrolysis technology, with the support of Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions, which placed the order for Asahi Kasei’s electrolysis system, was commissioned by NEDO to implement a Hydrogen from Renewable Energy Project in Namie, as a technological development project. Integrated with a large-scale solar power generation plant, the electrolysis system will form a core part of the Fukushima Hydrogen Research Field scheduled for test operation in the autumn of 2019 and start-up in the summer of 2020.

Asahi Kasei’s alkaline water electrolysis system is an exemplar of “power-to-gas” technology to convert renewable energy into clean hydrogen which is expected to be widely utilized in transportation and industrial applications as a substitute for fossil fuel. The market is expected to grow significantly with the shift to a low-carbon society.

Participation in this project accords with Asahi Kasei’s mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world, as well as its medium-term strategic objective of providing solutions to society in the area of clean environmental energy.