Mitsubishi Corp., a Japanese trading company, aims to partner with Shell PLC, a British oil giant, to produce green hydrogen through the creation of big offshore wind farms in Europe, according to persons familiar with the situation.
By 2030, the proposal is projected to produce 400,000 tons of green hydrogen, a kind of renewable energy that does not emit carbon dioxide, furthering the worldwide decarbonization trend.
Hydrogen is used in heaters and fertilizers, and there have been recent efforts to utilize it as a fuel.
According to the sources, Mitsubishi, through its subsidiary Eneco Groep N.V., is aiming to invest 10% in a commercial entity backed by Shell and Norwegian energy corporation Equinor ASA, among others.
Offshore wind farms focused on the Netherlands will be built, capable of generating roughly 4 million kilowatts of power. They said that the generated energy will be used to produce hydrogen, with a goal of producing 1 million tons per year by 2040.
Mitsubishi plans to invest a total of 2 trillion yen ($16.2 billion) in decarbonization businesses by fiscal 2030, with around half of it going to renewable energy.
Offshore wind projects off the shores of Akita and Chiba prefectures in northeastern and eastern Japan are also being considered by the trading firm.
