Accelerating Technological Development to Build a Hydrogen Supply Chain, Aiming to Realize a Hydrogen Society

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) announced that it proposed the Basic Technological Development Project for Low-Cost and Advanced Hydrogen Refueling Stations (hereafter, the project), together with corporations and institutions such as Kyushu University, in the “Technological Development Project for the Building of a Competitive Hydrogen Supply Chain” publicly offered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (hereafter, NEDO), and it was adopted as a development theme. NTN will contribute to the development of hydrogen infrastructures and the spread of next-generation energies by utilizing our tribological technologies and know-how in the hydrogen environment.

In the project, a total of 11 corporations and institutions will collaborate to promote R&D that will be the basis for the development of high-pressure hydrogen machinery, hoses, and other components that make up hydrogen refueling stations to be low-cost through high reliability and long operating life, and high-flow-rate hydrogen that will be envisaged in the future. In order to improve durability and reliability of plastic piston rings used in high-pressure hydrogen gas compressors, NTN will contribute to the promotion of R&D by utilizing the tribological technologies of plastic materials developed over many years through the development, manufacturing, and sales of sliding parts manufactured by engineering plastics.

NTN aims to realize a sustainable “NAMERAKA Society” by leveraging its bearing technologies that contribute to saving energy in a wide range of fields. In the field of hydrogen, which we are working on as a new field, we are working to develop new rolling bearings that will prevent premature damage caused by hydrogen. We are also focusing on expanding sales of engineering plastic sliding parts for hydrogen-related machinery. By participating in the project, we will contribute to the development of hydrogen infrastructures and the spread of next-generation energies. At the same time, we will accelerate our hydrogen-related business initiatives.