Outline

Introduction

Large-scale introduction of renewable energy is an urgent issue for significant reduction of greenhouse gases. For Japan, with limited and small fossil fuel reserves, securing new energy resources and innovative technologies for utilizing those resources are equally important issues.
To address these issues, the Energy Process Research Institute (EPRI) is developing innovative technologies for efficient utilization of non-conventional energy resources. Our R&D efforts on utilization of hydrocarbon resources are aimed at developing technology for utilizing methane hydrate resources by integrating technical approaches for commercialization, such as stable and enhanced production processes, together with seabed characterization. We are furthermore developing catalytic-conversion technologies for non-conventional energy resources. In order to build a hydrogen energy-based society, we are doing research on hydrogen storage materials and catalytic processes of energy carriers to realize safe and effective storage, transportation and utilization of hydrogen.