- ABB selected by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. to supply its ABB Ability™ System 800xA® distributed control system for the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal in Japan
- System 800xA will help operators manage complex hydrogen terminal operations safely, reliably and efficiently through one integrated platform
- Project builds on ABB’s work in the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) pilot, led by HySTRA, where ABB supplied the control and safety systems for the Hy touch Kobe liquefied hydrogen terminal
ABB has been selected by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. to supply its ABB Ability™ System 800xA® distributed control system (DCS) for the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal in Ogishima, approximately 30 kilometers south of Tokyo, Japan – the world’s first facility designed to handle and scale liquefied hydrogen supply from pilot projects to commercial level1.
Expected to complete its demonstration phase by 2030, the terminal will play a central role in Japan’s ambition to build an international liquefied hydrogen supply chain. Supported by Japan Suiso Energy, Ltd. as project operator and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) under its Green Innovation Fund, this Liquefied Hydrogen Supply Chain Commercialization Demonstration project will include a 50,000 m³ liquefied hydrogen storage tank and facilities for cargo handling, liquefaction, hydrogen gas supply and lorry dispatch.
Once in operation, the facility is designed to receive, store and distribute imported liquefied hydrogen safely and at scale. ABB’s System 800xA will help achieve this by integrating process control, safety and operational data in one common environment, enabling faster decisions and greater operational visibility across the terminal.
ABB’s scope includes System 800xA integrated with a SIL 3 safety instrumented system (SIS), which will provide a unified platform for process control, safety and plant-wide operational visibility. The solution includes redundant AC 800M controllers and critical server infrastructure to support operations, data management and system availability, helping ensure reliable and continuous operation.
This integrated and redundant architecture reduces operational complexity, supports faster and more informed decision-making and improves availability across the terminal’s critical processes, from liquefaction and storage to loading, unloading and dispatch. This ensures stable and reliable performance in the event of equipment unavailability.
"Japan’s hydrogen ambitions depend on infrastructure that can operate safely, reliably and efficiently at commercial scale," said Tetsuo Miura, Vice President of ABB’s Energy Industries division in Japan. "By bringing automation control, safety and operational insight together, we are proud to support the operations at Kawasaki LH2 Terminal as Japan takes an important step toward building a future-ready hydrogen supply chain."
Liquefied hydrogen is an important option for transportation of hydrogen over long distances because it reduces the volume to approximately 1/800 compared to its gaseous state2. As Japan looks to establish an international hydrogen supply chain and transition to a low-carbon energy system3, reliable terminal operations will be essential to ensuring the supply chain is practical and scalable.
ABB’s role builds on its contribution to the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain pilot4, where it supplied the control and safety systems for the Hy touch Kobe receiving terminal led by HySTRA. The Kawasaki LH2 Terminal extends that collaboration into commercial scale, supporting Kawasaki’s efforts to establish hydrogen as a viable energy carrier for Japan and global markets.
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com
ABB’s Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~26,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, Automation helps process, hybrid and maritime industries outrun – leaner and cleaner. go.abb/automation
1 https://global.kawasaki.com/news_251127-2e.pdf
2 https://answers.khi.co.jp/en/energy-environment/20180131e-02/
3 https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/enecho/shoene_shinene/suiso_seisaku/pdf/20230606_5.pdf
4 https://www.hydrogenenergysupplychain.com/
