Toward the Establishment of a Commercial-Scale Liquefied Hydrogen Supply Chain

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, announced that it has started construction of a hydrogen liquefaction plant  at the Kawasaki LH₂ Terminal . With a liquefaction capacity of 50 tons per day, the Plant will significantly exceed the largest liquefaction capacity publicly announced in Japan to date, which is 15 tons per day (according to our research). The Plant is scheduled for completion at the end of 2028 and, following commissioning, will be used for the commercialization demonstration from 2030.

The Plant will be used for the “Liquefied Hydrogen Supply Chain Commercialization Demonstration” under the “Large-scale Hydrogen Supply Chain Establishment” project*¹of the Green Innovation Fund Project promoted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and will serve as the hydrogen liquefaction facility at the Kawasaki LH₂ Terminal, which is being constructed by Japan Suiso Energy, Ltd. (JSE).

Conceptual drawing of the hydrogen liquefaction plant at the Kawasaki LH₂ Terminal (computer generated image) Courtesy of Japan Suiso Energy, Ltd.

When liquefied at -253°C, hydrogen is reduced to approximately 1/800 of its gaseous volume, making it an energy carrier suitable for large-volume, long-distance storage and transportation. The core equipment of the Plant is a hydrogen liquefier (hereinafter “the Liquefier”), which cools hydrogen to cryogenic temperatures to liquefy it, and the performance of the Liquefier determines the efficiency and reliability of the liquefaction process. The Liquefier houses heat exchangers, expansion turbines, piping, valves and other components, and advanced design and manufacturing technologies are required to achieve high thermal insulation performance and stable operation in a cryogenic environment. Given its high economic and strategic importance, the Liquefier has been designated as one of the “key products and technologies” in the 17 strategic fields under Japan’s Growth Strategy. The Plant will achieve one of the world’s highest liquefaction efficiencies among facilities of equivalent capacity currently available.

In 2013, Kawasaki developed a prototype of the Liquefier based on its proprietary technologies, the first of its kind made in Japan. In 2020, Kawasaki became the first Japanese manufacturer to commercialize a hydrogen liquefier with a production capacity of 5 tons of liquefied hydrogen per day.

Kawasaki has now achieved the upsizing of the facility to support a commercial-scale liquefied hydrogen supply chain by combining its cryogenic and thermal insulation technologies with the high-speed rotating machinery technologies cultivated through the development of gas turbines and jet engines for aircraft. This is expected to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the entire liquefied hydrogen supply chain. In view of global demand for liquefied hydrogen as well as deliveries to major hydrogen-supplying countries and regions such as Australia and the Middle East, Kawasaki will continue to consider further upsizing in line with customer needs.*²

Going forward, Kawasaki will continue to work with relevant organizations and partners to reduce costs and improve reliability in the production, storage and transportation of liquefied hydrogen, thereby promoting the social implementation of the liquefied hydrogen supply chain and contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society and the establishment of Japan’s energy security.