Development of Alkaline Water Electrolysis System for Affordable Green Hydrogen

Asahi Kasei Corporation

Outline

Hydrogen energy will play a major role in a carbon-free society. Since one of the key issues to its widespread use is the hydrogen production cost, the Japanese government plans to reduce the production cost to 30JPY / Nm3 by 2030. The Asahi Kasei Group is developing a large-scale alkaline water electrolysis system which produces large volume and cost competitive carbon-free hydrogen (green hydrogen) by using renewable energy. This technology is based on the Asahi Kasei Group’s world-leading chlor-alkali electrolysis system.
The main development areas are (1) large scale, (2) high efficiency, (3) wide operation range, and (4) process & control design. We are aiming to contribute to a carbon-free society through the supply of cost competitive green hydrogen worldwide by 2050.

Description

The Asahi Kasei Group has a Group Mission of "contributing to life and living for people around the world", and we have developed businesses that meet global challenges. Today, discussions aimed at achieving "sustainable society" are taking place around the world.
In recent years, we have been working on the development of various technologies aiming at a low-carbon / carbon-free society that contributes to the prevention of global warming.
One of our projects is the development of an alkaline water electrolysis system that can supply carbon-free hydrogen (green hydrogen) by using renewable energy. Applying the green hydrogen in a wide range of sectors such as transportation, power generation, chemistry, and steel industry makes a significant contribution to reducing their CO2 emissions.
One of the key issues to its widespread use is the hydrogen production cost. The Japanese government targets to reduce the current hydrogen production cost of 100 ~ 300 JPY / Nm3 to 30 JPY / Nm3 by 2030.
To achieve this target, the Asahi Kasei Group is developing a large-scale alkaline water electrolysis system which produces large volume and cost competitive green hydrogen by using renewable energy. This technology is based on the Asahi Kasei Group’s world-leading chlor-alkali electrolysis system.

The main development areas are as follows.
(1) Large scale: Since the alkaline water electrolysis system is expected to reduce costs by scaling-up, the Asahi Kasei Group plans to establish the optimal configuration of a large electrolysis plant through several demonstrations.
(2) High efficiency: Energy efficiency of the Asahi Kasei Group’s electrolysis technology is already world-class. We aim for even higher efficiency by developing new material components and improving operation technology.
(3) Wider operation range: The Asahi Kasei Group aims to widen the operation range of the electrolysis system to provide flexible operation which adapts to fluctuating renewable energy. Moreover, with wider operation range, our electrolysis system can operate flexibly to correspond with the electricity market price, which in the end contributes to lower hydrogen production cost.
(4) Process and control design: To optimize equipment specifications and save manpower by automatic control, we are building a practical water electrolysis simulation model.

The Asahi Kasei Group has installed the world's largest alkaline water electrolysis system for the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R), which opened in March 2020 as a NEDO project.
We are aiming to commercialize large alkaline water electrolysis systems by the mid 2020s, and contribute to realizing a carbon-free society where green hydrogen is utilized all over the world by 2050.

Supplementary information

Asahi Kasei Europe starts hydrogen demonstration project in Herten
https://www.asahi-kasei.eu/news/Asahi%20Kasei%20Europe%20starts%20hydrogen%20demonstration%20project%20in%20Herten_n235

Trial operation of plant for green hydrogen in Soma, Fukushima
https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/news/2018/e180522.html

Asahi Kasei’s alkaline water electrolysis system of 10 MW, the world’s largest scale, selected for the Fukushima Hydrogen Research Field in Namie
https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/news/2018/e180810.html