Europe and Japan deepen hydrogen alliance

Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saito and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson have cemented their cooperation to promote hydrogen development at a High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum in Tokyo.

The cooperation is built within the framework of an existing Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen signed in December 2022 and is intended to build collaboration in areas and technologies necessary to boost decarbonisation.

Said Simson in a statement: "Hydrogen will be an internationally traded commodity, and close EU-Japan cooperation will be essential for promoting renewable and low-carbon hydrogen globally and ensuring standards and regulation converge."

Commissioner Simson and Minister Saito agreed to address systemic and supply chain vulnerabilities and "promote a level-playing field through coordinated efforts."

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Specifically, Saito and Simson agreed on the following points:

1. They shared deep concerns about economic dependence on specific sources of supply for strategic goods due to a wide range of non-market policies and practices, such as market-distorting industrial subsidies, and its weaponization. They recognize the need to address the systemic vulnerabilities stemming from economic dependencies on certain supply sources and overcapacities, and to promote a level playing field through coordinated efforts.
2. They agreed to cooperate on supply and demand-side policies in clean energy sectors, and to properly evaluate non-price elements such as principles of transparency, diversity, safety, sustainability and reliability. They confirmed that work will begin in the fields of wind, solar and hydrogen, with plans to expand in the future.
3. They agreed on the importance of working with like-minded partners to build and strengthen transparent, resilient and sustainable supply chains as widely as possible, and agreed to establish a working group on Japan-EU Clean Energy Industrial Policy Coordination to carry out the work mentioned above.
4. They reiterated their common interest in supporting investment and deployment of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.

To promote business cooperation between Japan and the EU, the forum provided an opportunity for the signing of agreements to promote collaboration. Agreements were signed between:

(1) Japan Hydrogen Association (JH2A) and Hydrogen Europe

(2) New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (CHJU)

(3) Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and H2GLOBAL

(4) Japan Hydrogen Association (JH2A) and H2GLOBAL

(5) Kawasaki Heavy Industry and Daimler

As a next step, Japan and Europe will work to formulate a joint working plan to continue deepening the cooperation in the hydrogen field. The plan will take into account recent policy developments regarding hydrogen, which include supporting schemes established by the Hydrogen Society Promotion Act in Japan and the European Hydrogen Bank in the EU.

Listen to this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast with Professor Dr Emmanouil Kakaras, Executive Vice President, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA, to learn more about developing a hydrogen economy.