The contract has been awarded by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which is assessing technological solutions to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG) using CO2.
Said to be the first of its kind, the power-to-gas plant will be equipped to produce synthetic natural gas (methane) from CO2 and hydrogen.
The scope of contract includes supply of a protion exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, which is designed to produce hydrogen from electricity and water, as well as EtoGas catalytic reactor for the methanation process.
HZI, as a general contractor, will also supply tried-and-tested plate reactors which will be specially adapted to handle different CO2 sources.
HZC and HZI will develop the PtG technology with an aim to balance the supply and demand for power in electricity networks with renewable energy.
The new test facility, which aims to prove the feasibility of large scale PtG plants, will capture the CO2 emitted from an existing coal-fired thermal power station.
The captured CO2 is then combined with hydrogen to produce SNG, which will be fed into an existing gas grid.
HZI EtoGas CEO Wolfgang Beez said: “This PtG technology has considerable potential to become a key mainstay of a CO2-neutral future.”
Expected to be completed within the next 18 months, the project will contribute to the Japan’s efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.