AGC Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “AGC”) and the AIST Group (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology [hereinafter referred to as “AIST”] and AIST Solutions Co.) will begin engaging in joint research in April 2024 with the aim of clarifying the characteristics of PEM*1-type water electrolysis technology in high-pressure environments. Hydrogen produced in a high-pressure environment contains less water, which allows for a lowering of investment costs through the downsizing of drying facilities, reductions in pressure-boosting systems, and other such benefits, such that this research is expected to help promote hydrogen for the realization of carbon neutrality.
PEM-type water electrolysis constitutes a technology that is ideal for the utilization of renewable energy with large fluctuations in the amount of power generated, such as solar power generation, and has been attracting attention as a technology needed for the production of green hydrogen.*2 The production and supply of green hydrogen is planned in countries around the world. Reducing the cost of producing hydrogen is a challenge to be overcome if we are to expand the use of green hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles and other examples of societal infrastructure. One solution to this dilemma is the use of high-pressure water electrolysis technology for the production of hydrogen. In Europe and the United States, water electrolyzers are now typically operated in a high-pressure environment (between 3 and 5 MPa). On the other hand, the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act sets forth high safety standards in Japan, such that official facilities capable of evaluating the performance of hydrogen-producing equipment operating at high-pressure levels of at least 1 MPa are lacking.
For this joint research project, a new experimental evaluation facility will be set up at the Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute-AIST (FREA), and testing is slated to take place there from April 2024. Research will be conducted in collaboration with both parties in order to amass knowledge on the production of hydrogen in high-pressure environments. AGC has been engaged in the business of electrolytic membranes, including the FORBLUETM series of fluorinated ion exchange membranes that are used in the production of hydrogen and that will be used for the testing to be conducted in this project, since 1975. Using the wide range of knowledge that has been accumulated to the present day, the parties involved aim to grasp the fundamental properties of the membrane material as exhibited in high-pressure environments and establish membrane design technology for high-pressure water electrolysis. AIST aims to establish membrane material evaluation technology for application to high-pressure water electrolysis based on the fundamental technologies and evaluation technologies related to water electrolysis as developed to date by FREA.*3
AGC and the AIST Group will promote this joint research project with the aim of achieving a sustainable society through the promotion of green energy made possible by harnessing green hydrogen.
Notes:
*1: Proton exchange membrane
*2: Hydrogen produced by electrolyzing water with electricity derived from a renewable energy source.
*3: AIST possesses knowledge on water electrolysis cultivated through a project on the establishment of technology to evaluate the performance of water electrolysis and relevant research conducted to date as carried out within the framework of the Green Innovation (GI) Fund Projects that are run by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). This joint research project is being carried out based on such knowledge. Whereas GI Fund Projects are designed to develop methods of evaluation that form a common foundation using commercially available materials and equipment, AGC will test and evaluate membrane materials in new competitive areas that are being developed for this joint research project. The development phase differs from one project to another and equipment that differs from that which is built for a GI Fund Project shall be used for implementation purposes. The development themes in GI Fund Projects are as follows. “Project for the production of hydrogen through water electrolysis for which power derived from renewable energy is used”; “Establishing technology to evaluate the performance of water electrolysis equipment”; and “Building a foundation for technology to evaluate water electrolysis in system environments for renewable energy” (August 2021 to March 2026).
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