Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Masayuki Hyodo), Chiyoda Corporation (Head Office: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President & COO : Masaji Santo), Toyota Motor Corporation (Head Office: Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture; President and Representative Director : Akio Toyoda), Japan Research Institute, Limited (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Katsunori Tanizaki), and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Makoto Takashima) (collectively, “Joint Contractors”) have been appointed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (“NEDO”) to conduct a feasibility study on the receiving and distribution business of hydrogen in Chubu Region (“Study”). NEDO selected the Joint Contractors in the public offeriing for “Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society/Regional Hydrogen Utilization Technology Development/Hydrogen Production and Utilization Potential Research” and the Study is scheduled to be conducted during FY2021 and FY2022.

In order to promote the utilization of hydrogen in Japan, it is essential not only to produce hydrogen domestically, but also to import large volumes of hydrogen from cost competitive areas. To materialize large volume of imports, it is important to build supply chains from import terminals to demand locations, and to put priority on identifying challenges and find its solutions.

Building on the previous study of potential hydrogen demand in Chubu region by the Hydrogen Utilization Study Group (“Study Group”) conducted in February 2021, this Study will focus on developing a large-scale hydrogen supply chain. The Study will also address the economic viability of the large-scale receving and distribution business and sort out financial, technical and regulatory challenges for commercialization assuming that hydrogen is imported in the Chubu region.

Iwatani Corporation, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Air Liquide Japan G.K., and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (collectively “Cooperation Companies”), as a member of Chubu Hydrogen Utilization, and Joint Contractors have formed the consortium to complete this Study. And also cooperation of other member companies in the Study Group (Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., ENEOS Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., JFE Engineering Corporation, Nippon Steel Corporation) is expected to deepen the Study.

To achieve the Study Group’s goal, “Social implementation of hydrogen in Chubu Region in 2025” in line with carbon neutrality in Japan in 2050, further progress toward FEED (Front End Engineering Design) stage will be considered with the completion of this Study.

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