Hazer Group hydrogen plant to be constructed in Japan

Technology development company the Hazer Group has announced a partnership that is preparing for the development of a commercial scale, up to 100,000 tonne per annum facility to be built in Japan utilising its Hazer process to produce hydrogen from biogas.

The Perth company said the initial capacity of the plant, to be built with Chubu Electric Power Company, would be between 2,500 and 10,000 tpa.

The Project Development Plan is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2024, with an initial hydrogen production destined for power generation and industrial use in the Nagoya area expected in the late 2020s.

In March Hazer confirmed the second half of 2023 for the start-up of its commercial demonstration plant under construction in Western Australia to demonstrate the production of hydrogen from biomass.

The plant, supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has achieved gas flow and steady state operation, and also traps carbon as graphite, which the company hopes to sell as well as hydrogen. Iron ore is used as a catalyst.

The decision to develop a PDP is part of Hazer’s long term strategic collaboration with Japan’s Chiyoda Corporation.

General Manager of Electric Power Research at Chubu Electric Power Kouji Sada said: “Chubu Electric Power Group is firmly committed to decarbonisation of its operations and that of its customers.

“We believe the Hazer technology offers an attractive solution to locally produce low carbon hydrogen, using our existing supply chains and infrastructure.”

Hazer Group Managing Director Glenn Corrie said the company had always viewed Japan as an important market for its technology.

Corrie said: “By integrating our technology into the existing energy value chain, we can contribute to the decarbonisation of hard to abate sectors such as power generation, heavy industry and mobility.

“This partnership complements our already established partnership with Mitsui relating to our graphite offtake and is further validation of the Hazer technology business plan.”

Further reading:
HAZER GROUP CONFIRMS 2023 HYDROGEN PLANT START-UP
@AuManufacturing’s full coverage of Hazer Group can be found here.

Picture: Hazer Group