Japan-Australia hydrogen supply chain framed as pivotal to ASEAN decarbonisation
Decarbonisation was the focus at the inaugural meeting of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), comprising Australia, Japan and 11 Asean-member nations
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida first announced the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) concept in January 2022 with the aim of sharing the philosophy of promoting decarbonization in Asian nations and cooperating to push forward energy transition.
AZEC now includes Australia and all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) apart from Myanmar. ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
On March 4, Japan's Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) hosted the inaugural AZEC Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo among ministers from partner countries in charge of energy transition.
The AZEC Meeting involved discussions on challenges faced by Asian nations in order to achieve carbon neutrality and how to address them, as well as concrete efforts that are currently underway. The meeting agenda included conversations aimed at exploring the formulation of clean energy projects, garnering interest in transition finance around the world, reducing costs of implementing new technologies through support and policy coordination, and creating and increasing demand for decarbonization technologies.
At a news conference held after the ministerial meeting, Japanese Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Japanese companies, including Iwatani and Electric Power Development, have agreed to jointly create Japan's first hydrogen supply chain between Australia and Kawasaki under the AZEC framework.
More details to come.
