Ebara Builds Hydrogen Equipment Testing, Development Center in Japan

Ebara Corp. will construct a new equipment testing and development center for hydrogen infrastructure in Futtsu City, Japan, designed to build-out a domestic and international hydrogen supply chain. The center will conduct equipment performance tests and develop elemental technologies using liquid hydrogen; this ensures that liquid hydrogen pumps can be implemented in a hydrogen society.

To guarantee safe and stable liquid hydrogen pump operation and quality assurance for customers, Ebara will perform testing using liquid hydrogen at -235°C. Additional aspects of the center include:

Name: Ebara Hydrogen Equipment Test and Development Center (E-HYETEC)

Site/Building Area: Approximately 18,000 m² and 2,800 m², respectively.

Investment: Approximately 16 billion yen

Start of Construction: January 2024

Completion of Construction: Planned for June 2026, with part of the facility operational in 2025.

Visual concept of E-HYETEC; Image Credits: Ebara Corp.

Ebara Elliott News

In May 2024, Ebara Elliott Energy was contracted by TTCL Public Company Ltd. to provide a motor-driven recycle compressor with a variable frequency drive for the Sustainable Fuel Development Project (SFP) in Bangkok, Thailand—the country’s first SAF commercial production unit. The project uses 100% used cooking oil, operated by BSGF, and is designed to cater to domestic and international aviation industries.

The SAF Production Plant has an initial daily capacity of 1,000,000 liters, which is ready for immediate use without affecting engine performance. The SAF will help reduce the aviation industry’s greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent annually (compared to present emission levels).

And, last summer, Ebara Elliott was awarded a contract by Bechtel Energy Inc. to supply cryogenic rotating equipment for the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project. The company supplied cryogenic pumps, expanders, boil-off gas compressors, and end flash gas compressors for the project located in Jefferson County, TX, which is being developed by Sempra Infrastructure. Elliott was awarded the contract to perform the detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, performance testing, and operator training activities.

Ebara Elliott at TPS 2024

At Turbomachinery and Pump Symposia 2024, Klaus Brun of Ebara Elliott shared insight into Elliott Group’s rebranding under Ebara Corp. and how the new entity will tackle industry challenges with an upcoming portfolio of sustainability-focused products.

“Elliott, like any other company in our industry, must follow what our customers do and what our market does,” said Brun. “We’ve seen a significant transition in the energy industry over the last 10-15 years. We’ve seen more sustainability and more green energy, and so our products need to change with that market. That doesn’t mean we’re neglecting our current customers or the industry we’ve been serving for over 100 years, but we do have to address the changes we see in the energy industry. Our new name is Ebara Elliott Energy Co., with a specific focus on the energy market and not just on products.”

Furthermore, Brun added his thoughts on industry challenges: “Everybody’s talking about decarbonization of the industry, so we’re looking at hydrogen and CO₂. These are very new products that need to be developed—they currently don’t exist or are not as optimal as they should be. To meet these drastic market changes, we must develop new products and it’s not just the products, but the entire organization. As our customers change toward decarbonization and sustainability, we must change with them.”