Forging a Sustainable Future: Pennsylvania’s Energy Leaders Drive Clean Energy Collaboration in Japan

by Abby Smith, President & CEO, Team Pennsylvania

Team Pennsylvania gathered a group of the Commonwealth’s top energy leaders on a mission to Japan this month to strengthen our energy future. Our public-private delegation observed innovative energy technologies that could support industrial and power sector decarbonization here in Pennsylvania. Our team also toured Mitsubishi Power’s Takasago Hydrogen Park – the world’s first integrated hydrogen validation facility, participated in business development meetings, and visited some of Japan’s cultural assets.

The delegation’s trip to Japan had many goals and the work will lead to many future outcomes, including but not limited to:

• Promoting and strengthening economic ties between Japan and Pennsylvania
• Facilitating business development opportunities that will lead to an increase in net imports and exports between Pennsylvania and Japan
• Accelerating adoption of clean energy technology in Pennsylvania
• Catalyzing partnerships within the delegation of energy leaders to accelerate energy transition opportunities in Pennsylvania

The trip kicked off on American soil at the U.S. Embassy where we were honored to be greeted by Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, Alan Turley, Ross Belliveau, and the team with the US Commercial Service. They conducted an in-country briefing where we discussed the strong and strategic relationship that the US and Japan share; information about the Japanese economy, culture, and political environment; and Japan’s energy sector. For the past 50 years, Japan has relied heavily on energy imported from beyond its borders (90% to be exact!), where they focus on diversifying both energy sources and suppliers for their energy security. Like the Inflation Reduction Act, Japan’s Green Transformation Promotion Act is an industrial stimulus package for clean energy, and the parallels in both challenges and opportunities were evident to all in the delegation. The other big takeaway from our visit was regarding the tremendous work the Embassy does to ensure strong relations and economic ties.

With energy as the primary focus, we stopped at JERA Co., Inc., a company with a Pennsylvania footprint at Marcus Hook, where we discussed opportunities for expanded investment in the Commonwealth and energy transition broadly. From data center interests that will require significant energy to the fact that how we start to power operations could look very different a decade from now, our perspectives and insights were well-aligned.

We then connected with our hosts, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Hearing about their expansive operations and priorities, especially in their GX solutions/green transformation business, was inspiring to us all, and we’re so proud that their decarbonization innovation headquarters are in Pittsburgh, PA with Michael Ducker at the helm of MHI Hydrogen Infrastructure.

Soon we would be traveling to MHI’s Takasago Hydrogen Park. We knew we had arrived when turbines from years past were spotted on the grounds like an outdoor sculpture exhibit. Our gracious hosts thought of everything: from PPE displaying in front of each of our seats in an organized manner to a full slide deck to help us understand their operations and technology, nothing was spared to make us feel welcome in the most impressive of conference rooms.

MHI executives gave an overview of the operations at Takasago as well as their future aspirations for a decarbonized future…

The majority of what is made at Takasago are gas turbines, and MHI excels as the world leader with that product. Much like a jet engine but for use on the ground, these high-efficiency gas turbines generate electricity instead of producing thrust power, and they do so at 12x the output of an aero engine. While a big part of what’s happening at Takasago is manufacturing these incredibly large and sought after turbines, the most significant part of Takasago connects back to MHI’s extensive efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Right on this huge site overlooking the sea, there is a full R&D facility, design activities, the aforementioned manufacturing operations, and verification facilities. MHI makes sure that there is two years of pre-market verification happening right there as they explore the future of hydrogen production, storage, and utilization. It is awe-inspiring to stare up at the gigantic infrastructure driving MHI’s energy transformation efforts.

Our entire Japan trip was anchored around this visit, with Team Pennsylvania Board Director and MHI Hydrogen Infrastructure President & CEO Michael Ducker leading the way, and even with our high expectations it did not disappoint. A truly unforgettable experience for all.

“Japan ranks as the third-largest destination for Pennsylvania exports outside of North America. Moreover, apart from Canada, Japan has the second-highest number of foreign owned companies operating in our state, spanning industries like manufacturing, technology, and healthcare,” said Ducker. “As the leader of one such Japanese company in Pennsylvania, I’m proud to showcase the capabilities, value, and unique cultural perspective that such a company can bring to the region.”

Leaving Takasago, we took the train to Osaka, where we met with leaders from Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. / Daigas Group and then with leaders from Kansai Electric Power Co., Ltd. Our delegation enjoyed the conversation tremendously. We got to learn more about both of these companies, their footprints around the globe, and their plans for decarbonization; the energy business leaders across the value chain that are participating in our delegation spoke about their own experiences; we talked about Pennsylvania and we again found ourselves incredibly well-aligned on just how hard and how important energy transformation is, as well as the fact that it cannot be accomplished by business or government alone.

Toward the end of the mission was a capstone event with leaders from business and industry, government, nonprofits, associations, and academic institutions — all with a shared interest in promoting strong economic ties and collaboration between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Japan. Our delegation panelists focused on energy issues and highlighted some of the opportunities and shared challenges of energy transformation, as well as their interests and work in Japan. The delegation plans to follow up on the many new connections made, with hopes that our strong relationships flourish with new prospects on the horizon.

Thank you to those private sector energy leaders who traveled with us on behalf of the Commonwealth: Krista Johnson, US President of Johnson Matthey; Jacqueline Fidler, VP of Environmental & Sustainability of Consol Energy; Michael Ducker, President & CEO of MHI Hydrogen Infrastructure; and Nick Cohen, President & CEO of Doral Renewables LLC.