DOE, HTI to explore hydrogen as energy source

The Department of energy (DOE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tokyo-based hydrogen Technology Inc. (HTI) to explore the use of hydrogen as a fuel for power generation in the Philippines.

DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said the MOU would fast-track the research and development (R&D) activities for hydrogen. he hopes that HTI would be able to bring into the country its technology sooner so that the R&D activities can already commence.

“I had been wanting to bring the model here in the Philippines so that we can do the trial usage of the technology in one of the islands. I hope that with the signing of this MOU, the model can be immediately shipped,” Cusi told HTI executives led by its President and CEO Yasuhiro Yamamoto, who signed last April 7 the MOU on behalf of his company.

he further assured HTI that the DOE will help facilitate the entry of its technicians if needed, given the restricted movements because of the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the MOU, the DOE and HTI plan to “investigate hydrogen production in the Philippines to make the country energy independent and significantly reduce the country’s CO2 emissions.”

“The DOE, with the creation of the hydrogen and Fusion energy Committee (hfec), commits to exploring hydrogen as a viable alternative and cleaner source of energy and its other beneficial applications for the Filipino people,” Cusi said.

This is the second MOU that the DOE signed to further study the research and development of hydrogen energy in line with Cusi’s vision to include hydrogen in the country’s future energy mix.

In January this year, the DOE signed a similar undertaking with Star Scientific Ltd., an Australian research and development company.