The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Mitsubishi to enter green hydrogen business in Europe via Dutch subsidiary
Mitsubishi Corp. will enter the green hydrogen business in collaboration with companies such as British resource giant Shell.
In green hydrogen, hydrogen is produced without emitting carbon dioxide through the electrolysis of water using electricity generated by renewable energy sources.
Large-scale o shore wind farms are being constructed in Europe with the aim of producing 400,000 tons of green hydrogen annually in 2030. is will help gradually replace hydrogen being produced using natural gas and other fossil fuels, thus promoting decarbonization.
Eneco, a Mitsubishi subsidiary based in the Netherlands that is engaged in renewable energy projects in Europe, has decided to take a 10% stake in a joint venture formed by Shell, Norwegian energy giant Equinor ASA, and other companies.
e joint venture will construct by 2030 o shore wind farms generating about 4 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to four nuclear power plants, in European waters, mainly o the coast of the Netherlands. e project will use the power to produce green hydrogen.
Total investment in the project is expected to exceed ¥300 billion, of which Mitsubishi will shoulder tens of billions of yen.
Hydrogen is used for many purposes, including as a fuel for factory boilers and home heating systems, as well as for synthesizing ammonia, an ingredient
in fertilizers. Currently, most hydrogen is produced using natural gas and other fossil fuels. Hydrogen produced in this manner is called gray hydrogen. If the carbon dioxide emitted during production is captured and stored, it is called blue hydrogen.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there has been an increased interest in hydrogen as a way to reduce dependence on natural gas. If this project
comes to fruition, it would reduce by the equivalent of 1% of the amount of natural gas the European Union imported from Russia in 2021.
Mitsubishi plans to invest about ¥1 trillion in renewable energy by scal 2030 ending in March 2031. In Japan, the company is moving forward with plans to build o shore wind farms in three areas o the coast of Akita and Chiba prefectures. (April 8)