Development for energy carrier with liquid hydrogen from overseas.

In Japan, both CO2 (Carbon dioxide) emission reduction and energy security are the very important social issues after Fukushima Daiichi accident. On the other hand, FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) using hydrogen has been on the market at the end of 2014. Introducing large mass hydrogen energy is being expected as expanding hydrogen applications, or solution to energy issues of Japan. And then, the Japanese government announced the road map for introducing hydrogen energy supply chain in June, 2014. Under these circumstances, imported CO2 free hydrogen will be one of the solutions for energy security and CO2 reduction, if the hydrogen price is affordable. To achieve this, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) performed a feasibility study on CO2-free hydrogen energy supply chain from Australian brown coal linked with CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) to Japan. In the study, hydrogen production systems utilizing brown coal gasification and LH2 (liquid hydrogen) systems as storing and transporting hydrogen are examined. This paper shows the possibility of realizing the CO2 free hydrogen supply chain, the cost breakdown of imported hydrogen, comparison of power generation cost, and LH2 systems as key technologies of the hydrogen energy chain.