Obayashi Corporation Exchanged Views on Carbon Neutrality with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
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New Businesses
From April 20th to 23rd, Right Hon Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, visited Japan accompanied by Hon Damien O'Connor, Minister of Trade and Export Growth, and a business delegation. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen relations with Japan, New Zealand's fourth-largest trading partner, as New Zealand looks towards economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the visit was organized from the perspective that it is important for New Zealand to cooperate with Japanese companies in order to achieve its goals of "operating on 100% renewable electricity by 2030" and "being carbon neutral by 2050."
Obayashi Corporation has been working to build a pioneering green hydrogen supply chain in New Zealand, including the construction and operation of a megawatt-class green hydrogen production facility through its local joint venture Halcyon Power Ltd. (* 1), and its relationship with the country has grown over time. During Prime Minister Ardern's visit to Japan, Obayashi exchanged views with her and Minister O'Connor on initiatives for hydrogen and renewable energy projects.
21 April
Obayashi Corporation joined the event held at Tokyo Tower in Minato-ku, Tokyo, as a company developing hydrogen business in New Zealand and exchanged opinions with Prime Minister Ardern and other government officials.
22 April
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivered a speech at the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, in which she spoke highly of the construction and operation of Obayashi's green hydrogen production facilities and the hydrogen business with Ports of Auckland Ltd. Prior to her speech, Prime Minister Ardern met with the Japanese business community, where Obayashi President Kenji Hasuwa expressed Obayashi Corporation's willingness to contribute to the construction of the country's hydrogen supply chain.
New Zealand is one of the world's most advanced countries in terms of renewable energy, with more than 80% of its electricity supply being renewable. Obayashi Corporation will continue to develop the hydrogen sector in cooperation with the New Zealand government along with private companies and eventually contribute to the country achieving carbon neutrality. The aim in the future is to utilize the country's abundant renewable energy to industrialize hydrogen for export.
- ※1 Halcyon Power Ltd. （Halcyon Power Website）
A local corporation, jointly established by Obayashi Corporation and Tuaropaki Trust, which owns a leading geothermal power plant in New Zealand, to examine the feasibility of establishing a green hydrogen supply chain. In addition to the production of green hydrogen, Halcyon aims to build an entire supply chain from transportation to consumption, and to expand the uptake of green hydrogen through understanding the technical and institutional issues at each stage, as well as cost and social acceptability.