Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Gas Company have partnered to advance research and application of hydrogen-powered energy sources. Beginning in June 2022, the two parties will conduct a joint hydrogen utilization demonstration to test operation of a water electrolyser produced by British firm ITM Power.

Hydrogen produced by water electrolysers using electricity from renewable sources of energy is considered “green hydrogen”: no CO2 emissions are created in its production process. The hydrogen can then be used for fuel cell products, including batteries and engines.

ITM Power’s megawatt-class polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysers produce hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Tokyo Gas will test the water electrolyser under various conditions to understand its performance and gain insights on the impact of large water electrolysers on equipment operation and construction of related facilities.

Sumitomo Corporation entered into a strategic partnership with ITM Power in 2018 and has been working to introduce the company’s polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser into the Japanese market,” said to Sumitomo Energy Innovation Initiative Director Hajime Mori. “At Sumitomo Corporation, we will continue to accelerate our efforts to build a hydrogen-based society with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050 and realizing sustainable energy cycles.

The Japanese has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and aims to supply more than 420,000 tons of clean hydrogen per year.