The purpose is to establish a stable domestic manufacturing supply chain for technologies that contribute to achieving the country’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
Green hydrogen is a key element of Japan’s ‘Green Transformation (GX)’ strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of this strategy, the ‘GX Supply Chain Construction Support Project’ aims to establish the world’s first domestic manufacturing supply chain for cutting-edge technologies that will help achieve Japan’s climate goals, while nurturing economic growth.
Within this governmental program, Asahi Kasei proposed to build new plants for both cell frames and membranes for electrolysis, each with a manufacturing capacity of at least 2 GW, at the company’s plant site in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, by 2028. On 18 December 2024, the Japanese Government adopted this proposal for financial support. The total capital investment for this project is estimated to be approximately ¥35 billion, and Asahi Kasei expects to receive a subsidy of up to ¥11.4 billion through this initiative.
Including the current manufacturing capacity for Asahi Kasei’s ion-exchange membrane chlor-alkali electrolysis process, this expansion will raise the company’s total annual capacity for cell frames and membranes to more than 3 GW.
Asahi Kasei aims to create synergies between its two electrolysis businesses by establishing a system that can respond to both the uncertain expansion of the hydrogen market and the growing demand in the chlor-alkali electrolysis business, which has earned a high level of trust and market share from customers worldwide.
“Even as it remains unclear when a hydrogen society will become a reality, we need to swiftly establish and expand a production system to seize the opportunity of market expansion and earn our share of the water electrolysis equipment market,” said Masami Takenaka, Lead Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Senior General Manager of its Green Solution Project. “Looking ahead to the huge market that will emerge from a new hydrogen ecosystem while anticipating market expansion toward 2030, we aim to build the world’s largest water electrolysis equipment manufacturing capacity and supply system through further capital investment and alliances with partners built through existing businesses, including overseas. Through these efforts, we aim for a 20% share of the world’s major water electrolysis equipment markets, primarily in Europe, North America, and India, by around 2030, which will contribute to strengthening the green hydrogen supply base worldwide while raising the industrial competitiveness of Japan in the field of hydrogen.”
