Green Hydrogen in the World’s Largest Single-Stack Alkaline Water Electrolysis Plant

Asahi Kasei starts production of green hydrogen in the world’s largest single-stack alkaline water electrolysis plant in Fukushima. The Japanese technology group, which is also represented at the h2herten user center, is taking the next major step towards becoming a globally leading provider of large-scale alkaline water electrolysis plants for the production of green hydrogen. In March 2020, the company commenced operation of its 10-megawatt (MW) single-stack alkaline water electrolyzer at the Fukushima Energy Research Field (FH2R) in Namie, Fukushima, Japan. The “Aqualizer” is the world’s largest single-stack system – one hour is enough to produce 1,200 standard cubic meters (Nm3) of green hydrogen.

Asahi Kasei received the order for the plant in 2017 from Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp. The system was installed at FH2R (opened on March 7, 2020) as a technological development project by Japan’s NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). It produces 1,200 Nm3 of hydrogen per hour (rated power operation), making it the world’s largest plant system consisting of a single stack.
After installation in November 2019, test operation of hydrogen supply with fluctuating power input began in March 2020. Regular operation is planned to start in summer 2020.

A Century of Expertise in Water Electrolysis

Asahi Kasei’s know-how in hydrogen production dates back to the company’s founding in 1922, when it used hydropower for water electrolysis to produce hydrogen for ammonia production. Furthermore, Asahi Kasei has been active in the field of chlor-alkali electrolysis since 1975 and is now a leading full-range supplier of key components, including catalysts, electrodes, and membranes.

Towards a Green Hydrogen Society

The company is now leveraging its four decades of experience and expertise in chlor-alkali electrolysis to develop an alkaline water electrolysis system that utilizes surplus energy from renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power for large-scale production of green hydrogen. The system is capable of adapting to fluctuating power inputs and therefore perfectly suits the changing needs of the energy industry in Europe. In addition to demonstration projects in Herten, Germany, and Soma, Japan, the company is participating in ALIGN-CCUS, a European multinational partner project for carbon capture, utilization, and storage.
The Japanese technology company is currently conducting its business activities in accordance with the new management initiative “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021,” introduced in May 2019. Asahi Kasei hereby underlines its commitment to contributing to a sustainable society under the motto “Care for People, Care for Earth.” To achieve this goal, the company defined five priority areas: “Environment & Energy,” “Mobility,” “Living Material,” “Housing & Living,” and “Healthcare.” Within the “Environment & Energy” sector, green hydrogen produced by alkaline water electrolysis plays a key role.

Title photo: flickr / Omar Bariffi, Artistic Splash, License here