Hydrogen is gaining more and more relevance in the energy industry worldwide, mainly because it is a versatile energy source that can be used in many industries, and there are also different options of hydrogen that companies may pursue. Asian nations are known for their dominance in the hydrogen production scene, with China leading the pack and Japan among the leaders. As of late, it is JGC’s pilot green ammonia facility that started output using hydrogen supplied by Asahi Kasei.
JGC collaborates with Asahi Kasei to establish a hydrogen facility
Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of collaborations in large-scale energy initiatives because there are a lot of projects that have benefited from them. In 2026, we are seeing various companies partner up or assist one another in certain aspects simply because they are looking at the bigger picture, which is the benefits brought by clean energy generation to the rest of the population. As such, it is not surprising that Japan has encouraged this type of collaboration.
Although both companies are poised to gain from the partnership when it comes to increasing their brand name and reputation, the bigger outcome is that the entire project is a landmark moment for Japan. After many ways of generating energy in a traditional manner, the upcoming hydrogen facility is a representation that technology is the future of energy development.
Reviewing the impact of Japan’s Green Innovation Fund project on hydrogen generation
Every country has energy objectives that it hopes to achieve in an organized manner. For Japan, the aim is to do so under a government-initiated initiative, which is run by corporations with government support. Governmental support is particularly important in the contemporary landscape because it signals that the entire country is collectively on board with clean energy generation. The pilot green ammonia project was jointly selected for funding under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) Green Innovation Fund.
The purpose of the Fund project is to integrate hydrogen production from renewable power with ammonia synthesis on a large scale.
Gaining a first look at the technological innovation adopted by JGC and Asahi
It is almost certain that Asia is in the middle of establishing a blueprint that many other continents will learn from and apply in their projects. The two companies formally presented a demonstration plant, which is named the Namie Green Ammonia Integrated Control System Demonstration Field (NAMICS). Unbeknownst to the general public, it has been in the works for a lengthy period and represents a vision between JGC and Asahi Kasei to refine large-scale alkaline water electrolysis and ammonia synthesis technology.
Delving deeper into the operations inside the pilot green ammonia facility
In a sheer display of technological innovation, the hydrogen used at the facility is produced by a 10-megawatt-class alkaline water electrolysis system at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R). Incredibly, this is one of the world’s largest electrolyzer systems powered by renewable energy. The company that has been responsible for running this system is Asahi Kasei, and it has done so since 2020.
Some people wonder how exactly the process occurs. Simply put, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable sources. The hydrogen is then used as feedstock to synthesize green ammonia, which is the specific ammonia made without fossil fuels. Green ammonia is growing in relevance because it can be used directly as a fuel or energy storage platform, it can be exported worldwide, and it is very useful for fertilizer production, which makes it attractive to the farming industry.
One thing that has not been discussed about JGC’s collaboration with Asahi is that it could all be a massive plan by Japan to dethrone its Asian counterpart, China, from the top spot in hydrogen production. Nonetheless, competition remains healthy and not malicious in the energy industry, all for the good of the environment.
