At the CII International Business Conclave on Green Hydrogen, Mr. Rei Kimura, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries India Pvt. Ltd. (MHI), offered a compelling perspective on MHI’s global efforts to drive carbon-neutral solutions, particularly in hydrogen technology. Representing a legacy of over 140 years, Mr. Kimura spoke of MHI’s evolution from its origins in shipbuilding to becoming a diversified engineering conglomerate with over 400 categories of machinery in its portfolio, including thermal and nuclear power plants, naval vessels, submarines, fighter jets, missiles, and even space launch vehicles.
“Today’s focus is hydrogen,” Mr. Kimura began. “And I would like to share MHI’s integrated efforts in the development and validation of carbon-neutral solutions—especially those centred around green hydrogen.”
Before diving into MHI’s specific activities, he highlighted a fundamental principle: “The key to realising a green hydrogen economy lies in maintaining a balanced pace across three critical pillars—production, storage and transportation, and utilisation.” While MHI’s historical strength lies in utilisation, the company is now actively investing in the entire hydrogen value chain.
At the heart of MHI’s research and demonstration efforts is the Takasago Hydrogen Park, located at their Takasago Works in central Japan, near Osaka. “This site is our innovation hub,” he explained, “where we are validating technologies across all stages of the hydrogen ecosystem.”
On the production front, MHI is testing multiple electrolysis technologies, including solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), alkaline electrolysers, and shortly, AEM (anion exchange membrane) and methane pyrolysis systems. “These diverse pathways allow us to optimise hydrogen generation based on energy sources and geographic conditions,” he said.
Storage and transportation efforts at Takasago include the use of hydrogen cylinders, while the company’s true expertise—utilisation—is demonstrated in its gas turbine validation tests. “We are testing hydrogen co-firing and full hydrogen firing on both large-scale 500 MW turbines and smaller 40 MW models,” Mr. Kimura shared. “Last year, we successfully achieved 30% hydrogen co-firing in large turbines, and we aim to complete 100% hydrogen firing in smaller units within this year.”
He also gave a detailed overview of MHI’s SOEC and SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) technologies. “In SOFC, we input hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. In SOEC, it’s the reverse—water and electricity generate hydrogen and oxygen. This is a promising route for highly efficient, high-temperature hydrogen production.”
Looking ahead, Mr. Kimura spoke about turquoise hydrogen, a future-oriented technology where methane is thermally decomposed into hydrogen and solid carbon. “We plan to validate this method as part of our broader commitment to low-carbon hydrogen innovation,” he said.
He also presented a world map of MHI’s hydrogen and ammonia projects. “Our hydrogen-related initiatives are mostly focused on co-firing hydrogen with large gas turbines,” he noted. “The ammonia projects, represented in green, involve co-firing ammonia with existing coal-based power plants, demonstrating our commitment to decarbonising legacy infrastructure.”
Among MHI’s most ambitious endeavours is the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES) project in Utah, USA. “This is a true end-to-end green hydrogen model,” Mr. Kimura explained. Renewable electricity from the U.S. West Coast will power electrolysis, producing hydrogen that will be stored in salt caverns in Utah. This stored hydrogen will later be used to generate electricity via MHI’s hydrogen-capable gas turbines, with the electricity transmitted to California via high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines.
“The people of California are both environmentally conscious and economically prepared to invest in clean energy. This project is designed with that market in mind,” he said. He added that 40 electrolyser units have already been installed on-site—sourced from a European manufacturer and produced in China—and that MHI’s hydrogen-capable gas turbine is ready. “By the end of this year, the plant will be commissioned, and our turbine retrofitted to enable 100% hydrogen firing.”
He also affirmed MHI’s commitment to enabling the global hydrogen economy. “From Japan to India, from the U.S. to Europe, our projects reflect a holistic approach—one that spans technology development, commercial deployment, and international collaboration. At MHI, we believe the hydrogen future is not only possible—it’s already taking shape.”
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