Japan Launches First Real-Time Carbon Tracking for Hydrogen Co-Firing Power Plant with DNV Verification
Source：fuel cells works
• Japan’s Kansai Electric, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and BIPROGY have begun live tracking and emissions auditing for hydrogen co-firing at the Himeji No. 2 power plant.
• Real-time hydrogen origin and CO₂ footprint data is being certified every 30 minutes, in a move backed by DNV to support hydrogen transparency and future certification frameworks.
The Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and BIPROGY have begun live demonstration testing of environmental attribute management for hydrogen co-firing power generation at the Himeji No. 2 Power Station in Japan. The trial—backed by global certification body DNV—aims to trace the carbon intensity and origin of hydrogen fuels in near real time, establishing a framework for certifiable hydrogen electricity.
The project tracks hydrogen sources—including locally produced low-carbon hydrogen, nuclear-derived hydrogen from Fukui Prefecture, and green hydrogen from Yamanashi—every 30 minutes. The partners will monitor CO₂ emissions across the hydrogen’s entire chain of custody, verifying that electricity generated via co-firing is truly attributable to each respective source.
"Through this approach, we aim to send electricity to our customers with its origin disclosed regarding the energy source as well as time and location of hydrogen production," the companies said.
The pilot marks a first-of-its-kind attempt in Japan to apply internationally aligned tracking and environmental disclosure systems for hydrogen-fired power. As industry eyes the monetization of “clean” hydrogen, this system of origin verification could play a central role in certification, subsidy eligibility, and carbon trading. KEPCO, BIPROGY, and Kawasaki confirmed they will continue exploring commercialization and integration with a broader hydrogen supply chain, targeting future carbon-neutral electricity production.