German energy company Uniper and Kyuden International, a subsidiary of Kyushu Electric Power Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore hydrogen and ammonia trading, renewable energy, and carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS).
The partnership is a two-way expansion strategy: Kyuden aims to enter the European market using Uniper’s energy infrastructure, while Uniper sees Asia as a key growth region for hydrogen and ammonia supply chains.
“Through our collaboration with Uniper, we aim to expand business opportunities in Europe and other regions by leveraging Uniper’s extensive expertise,” said Takashi Mitsuyoshi, President of Kyuden International. “Meanwhile, Uniper seeks to promote business development in Asia, where our company has abundant knowledge.”
For Uniper, the deal strengthens its position in Asia’s emerging hydrogen economy, where Japan is heavily investing in ammonia as a co-firing fuel for power generation. Kyuden, for its part, gains access to Uniper’s European market presence, where hydrogen demand is rising amid efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
“By combining our strengths, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Japan’s decarbonisation efforts and explore new business opportunities,” said Andreas Gemballa, CCO of Global Origination at Uniper.
The partnership is an important development in global energy trade dynamics, bridging two of the world’s largest industrial energy markets.
Hydrogen demand in Europe is projected to increase by 127% from 2030 to 2040, and 63% from 2040 to 2050, while electrolytic hydrogen production capacity across the continent has more than doubled in the past two years.
In Asia-Pacific, demand sits at over 26.5 million tonnes per year and is set to grow at a CAGR of around 4% until 2034. The largest share of demand is going towards ammonia production – an industry currently worth $94bn.
