Yamanashi Prefecture has officially begun production at one of Japan’s largest green hydrogen facilities as part of a major demonstration project aimed at achieving carbon neutrality at two Suntory Holdings sites — the Suntory Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant and the Suntory Hakushu Distillery, both located in Hokuto City.
Backed by funding from Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) Green Innovation Fund, the initiative involves Yamanashi Prefecture and ten partner companies collaborating to develop energy conversion and utilisation technologies within a large-scale Power-to-Gas (P2G) system.
The 16 MW hydrogen production facility, now operational at the water plant, is capable of producing up to 2,200 tons of green hydrogen annually — enough to cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 16,000 tons if operated continuously throughout the year.
As part of the project, newly developed low-NOx hydrogen boilers will be used to replace a portion of the water plant’s heat energy sourced from fossil fuels, marking a significant step toward decarbonisation. The experiment will also explore how renewable energy can power hydrogen production to supply clean heat to industrial operations across the region.
The project, running through the end of 2026, will assess how renewable electricity can be integrated into hydrogen production for steam generation, paving the way for future expansion to other regions. The facility, located in the scenic Hakushu area of Hokuto City, has been officially named “Green Hydrogen Park – Hakushu”, reflecting its goal of becoming a regional hub for green hydrogen supply and innovation.
Yamanashi Prefecture and its project partners plan to continue advancing PEM water electrolysis technology and promoting hydrogen demand as part of Japan’s broader transition toward a carbon-neutral society.
AloJapan.com