Japan and EU take huge collaborative step toward advancing hydrogen tech

This significant step occurred at the High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum.

Japan and the EU have deepened their partnership and objective to advance hydrogen tech and business collaboration. This occurred at a High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum on Monday (June 3). The forum was assembled by Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saito, and European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson.

Carbon neutrality collaboration.

The goal of the recently convened High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum was to strengthen the collaboration between Japan and the EU (a partnership forged under the EU-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen in December 2022) and the directives of the Japan-EU Summit Meeting, which was carried out in July of last year.

Specifically, the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) is a reflection of the Green Alliance that was agreed upon by both parties in May 2021. The aim of the Green Alliance is to advance cooperation in reaching carbon neutrality. Advancing hydrogen tech is an important part of achieving this carbon neutrality goal.

Investment and deployment of hydrogen tech.

Among the key agreements and discussions at the High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum was the investment and deployment of hydrogen technologies. Both parties emphasized their interest in supporting the investment and deployment of green hydrogen and low-carbon hydrogen. There were talks about:

• Industrial cooperation
• Supporting measures
• Research and development

Whatever results will be reported to Japanese and EU leaders prior to the next Japan-EU summit.

Business cooperation and agreements aimed at the H2 sector.

In additional efforts and commitments to build a “resilient and sustainable hydrogen economy”, the forum managed to bring about several cooperation agreements focused on promotion collaboration in the hydrogen sector, including:

• Japan Hydrogen Association and Hydrogen Europe
• New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization and Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking
• Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and H2GLOBAL
• Kawasaki Heavy Industry and Daimler

One of the best part of our – high-level #hydrogen business forum yesterday was the 5⃣ new MoU-s signed between different #EU & #Japan companies & associations.

These agreements will help bring a closer cooperation among EU & Japanese actors to promote a #hydrogen market. pic.twitter.com/m2UeQk8ctq

— Kadri Simson (@KadriSimson) June 4, 2024

The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan and Joint Research Center also plan to deepen cooperation in hydrogen safety.

Achieving carbon neutrality and energy security requires cooperation.

The reality is that in order for there to be any significant and lasting impact on global carbon reduction, energy sustainability and security, governments, companies and associations need to work together. This isn’t something that can be achieved without cooperation. Japan and the EU’s deepened collaboration is on the right track to produce meaningful results.