Hydrogen is in gas form at normal temperature and pressure, and the transportation methods are limited to three under current technologies. LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier), Liquified H₂, and Ammonia.

ENEOS has selected one of LOHCs, MCH (Methyl Cyclohexane), for our main hydrogen carrier at the initial stage. MCH is organic hydrocarbon transformed through fully hydrogenating toluene and exists in liquid form at normal temperature and normal pressure, similar to our petroleum/petrochemical products. Thus, we can fully utilize the existing assets and knowhows, and should be able to achieve reliable hydrogen supply as well as cost competitiveness.

We plan to transform (hydrogenate) toluene to MCH at overseas sites mainly, bring MCH to our Japan sites by ordinary chemical vessels, and transform (dehydrogenate) MCH back to toluene to extract hydrogen to be supplied to neighboring hydrogen users.

We are actively developing new technologies around MCH, and owns Direct MCH^® technology that is one-step chemical hydride production using renewable energies. At the existing process, we need multiple intermediate steps from water electrolysis to toluene-to-MCH conversion, but Direct MCH^® technology can simplify the steps to directly make toluene-to-MCH conversion in electrolyser, and significantly reduce the manufacturing costs.

We have the pilot plant in Brisbane, Australia, and aim to the commercialization after 2030.
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Even in Japan, there are abundant renewable energy resources in areas such as Kyushu, Tohoku, and Hokkaido.
We are verifying locally produced and locally consumed energy supply projects, for example, "hydrogen version VPP (Virtual Power Plant)" that combines VPP technology with an electrolysis device installed at hydrogen stations.

Hydrogen projects are fully supported by Japanese government and several ENEOS's projects are granted for NEDO's Green Innovation Fund.