Business

Japan – MHI and KEPCO Agree to Install a CO2 Capture Pilot Plant at Himeji No.2 Power Station

January 18, 2024

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) agreed today with The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO) to install a CO2 capture pilot plant at Himeji No.2 power plant in Hyogo, Japan. This new plant is being established to demonstrate the next-generation CO2 capture technology as a substitution of the existing pilot plant installed at Nanko Power Station in 1991, and MHI aims to start operation in FY2025.

Image of the CO2 capture pilot plant at Himeji No.2 Power Station

The pilot plant will be installed for R&D of CO2 capture technology and will use flue gas from the gas turbine at Himeji No.2 Power Station, with a capture capacity at approximately 5 tons/day. By demonstrating the next-generation CO2 capture technology, which has been jointly developed under an agreement (Note) with ExxonMobil since 2022, the plant will accelerate R&D aimed at reducing environmental impact and costs, and further strengthen its competitiveness.

In addition, by implementing a remote monitoring system of ΣSynX (Sigma Syncs) Supervision, MHI’s digital innovation brand, it will be possible to monitor the operation status of this plant at MHI Yokohama Building and other sites, and to automatically start and stop operations by remote control.

MHI Group has formally declared its intent to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, and is now working strategically to decarbonize both the energy demand and supply sides. A core element of the Company’s “Energy Transition,” which targets decarbonization on the energy supply side, is the development of a CO2 solutions ecosystem integrating diverse sources of carbon emissions with modes for carbon storage and utilization. Going forward, MHI Group will continue to solidly pursue its carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) business built on its unique CO2 capture technology, and as a solutions provider, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale, and further develop solutions that help protect the environment.

For details of ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Form Carbon Capture Technology Alliance, see the following press release: https://www.mhi.com/news/22113001.html

About MHI Group’s CO2 capture technologiesMHI Group has been developing the KM CDR Process™ (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process) and the Advanced KM CDR Process™ in collaboration with The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. since 1990. As of January 2024, the Company has delivered 16 plants adopting the KM CDR Process™, and two more are currently under construction. The Advanced KM CDR Process™ adopts the KS-21™ solvent, which incorporates technological improvements over the amine-based KS-1™ adopted at all 16 of the commercial CO2 capture plants delivered to date. The advanced version offers superior regeneration efficiency and lower deterioration than the KS-1™, and it has been verified to provide excellent energy saving performance, reduce operation costs, and result in low amine emissions.

For further information on MHI Group’s CO2 capture plants: https://www.mhi.com/products/engineering/co2plants.html

About MHI Group

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.