UsamiThere can be no denying the value of hydrogen in balancing efforts to decarbonize and to ensuring stable energy supplies. Mitsubishi Corporation is striving to consolidate strengths both inside and outside the company to develop so many hydrogen-related businesses. They include producing hydrogen with liquefied natural gas (LNG), capturing and storing the CO2 emitted during that process, manufacturing and supplying ammonia (a promising hydrogen carrier), transporting hydrogen internationally, introducing fuel-cells, and providing fuel-cell-related services. We are working hard to forge a new value chain in the hydrogen industry.

IharaIdeally, we will be able to use renewable energies (renewables) to produce hydrogen, but it is still quite difficult in Japan to secure a stable supply of renewables while keeping energy costs down. This pilot project, which was undertaken in conjunction with Chiyoda Corporation from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2020, was part of a larger initiative to forge an international hydrogen value chain, through which unused resources overseas can be used to produce hydrogen and ship it in large volumes to energy buyers in Japan. The AHEAD Project involved using large container ships to transport to Japan hydrogen that was produced in Brunei. It was the first time that such large volumes of hydrogen were shipped internationally, and it has opened a path towards realizing large-volume hydrogen shipments and hydrogen-fueled power generation. We are excited about using what we have learned from the project to further growth and development in hydrogen applications.

YakushijiTrue to its company slogan, “Everyone's sustainable energy,” Eneco began developing renewables in Europe long before we were hearing any urgent cries to decarbonize. Boasting roughly six million contracts to provide energy to buyers in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, the company is supplying green electricity to both common households and corporate clients, including the Dutch Railways and Amsterdam's airport, Royal Schiphol Group. It is now engaged in a pilot project to balance energy supply and demand through green hydrogen produced from surplus offshore wind power. Considering how unstable output from renewables is, the big question is how electrolysis equipment powered by such sources can be used to produce a stable supply of hydrogen. Accumulating know-how on that will be a crucial step towards decarbonizing in the future. Eneco has a wealth of knowledge and experience, which we hope to take advantage of as we work together to help make that possible.

TakeuchiEneco has made a spirited push to supply green electricity. Its customer services, options and other aspects of its business are all quite unique, and it has gained recognition for being a very progressive company. I think that by acquiring Eneco, Mitsubishi Corporation has demonstrated a genuine commitment to decarbonization.

UsamiEnergy shifts will have huge impacts on consumers, both in terms of their equipment and operations. Two cases in point are transitions to fuel cells in automobiles and warehouse forklifts. Mitsubishi Corporation does business with a wide range of customers, through both BtoB and BtoC operations, and it has deep ties with all of those customers. I think we can provide them with a broad scope of support in their efforts to roll out technologies developed to reduce carbon emissions and new hydrogen solutions. By taking advantage of Mitsubishi Corporation's collective capabilities, we can contribute in many ways to decarbonization work throughout our supply chains.