Japan: First Country in the World to Adopt a Basic Hydrogen Strategy

Giant Leap Towards a Hydrogen Society The world is looking towards hydrogen as a next-generation clean energy source. In Japan, the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field was completed in March 2020. With the start-up of the world’s largest hydrogen production facility, a giant leap towards the realization of a hydrogen society has been made. Hydrogen, unlike petroleum or coal, produces no carbon dioxide when used. It can also be produced from a variety of resources, allowing renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and biomass, to be used. Thus, the entire process, from production to utilization, can be nearly carbon-free, which is indispensable for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of climate action and affordable and clean energy. Amid calls for a global conversion to clean energy, Japan is leading the world by applying its technological strengths, such as introducing the world’s first commercially viable fuel-cell vehicle (FCV), moving forward to the realization of a hydrogen-fueled society. Japan is also showing leadership in other ways, such as through the action plan known as the Basic Hydrogen Strategy, established in 2017, and by hosting the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting, which in 2018 was the world’s first cabinet-level discussion devoted to the issue. 　In those efforts, a vital role is played by the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R), completed in March 2020. Equipped with a 10,000kW class hydrogen production facility, the plant is producing hydrogen by utilizing electricity generated from solar panels arrayed around its perimeter. Enough hydrogen fuel can be produced at the facility every day to supply power for about 150 households (monthly consumption), or to fill 560 FCVs.