HIF Global and energy company Idemitsu Kosan announced a strategic cooperation agreement to accelerate the production of carbon neutral eFuels. The HIF-Idemitsu strategic cooperation will focus on purchase of eFuels by Idemitsu from HIF eFuels facilities worldwide, co-investments in HIF eFuels facilities and new facilities in Japan, and supply of recycled carbon dioxide from Japan for use in the eFuels production process.

Cesar Norton, HIF Global CEO, said, “eFuels are available now to decarbonize existing cars, ships, and airplanes without any modifications to their engines. Our eFuels facility at Haru Oni in Chile is already producing carbon neutral gasoline. We expect to begin construction on the first world-scale eFuels facility in Texas, U.S. in 2024, and we are developing additional facilities in Chile, U.S., and Australia, which are all well placed to serve partners in Asia. Collaboration with companies with the global presence and resources of Idemitsu makes our plan to reach 150,000 bpd of eFuels production a reality. We look forward to advancing Idemitsu’s strategic objectives for carbon neutrality and delivering eFuels to help win the war on climate change.”

Hiroshi Tanaka, Idemitsu Kosan, General Manager, Carbon Neutral Transformation Department, said, “Idemitsu is exploring ways to ensure a stable energy supply in a carbon-neutral society in 2050. In particular, we believe that eFuels are one of the best ways to promote decarbonization of mobility by utilizing existing infrastructure, and we hope that eFuels will be widely recognized and used around the world as soon as possible. Additionally, we are very pleased to be working with HIF, which aims to launch and supply the world's first large-scale eFuel production facility, to explore strategic initiatives. We look forward to working together to accelerate decarbonization.”

A month ago, Idemitsu leadership and a Japanese delegation traveled to southern Chile to witness the production of eFuels at the HIF Haru Oni Demonstration facility. eFuels are made using electrolyzers powered by renewable energy to separate H₂ from oxygen in water. The green H₂ will be utilized together with recycled carbon dioxide to produce carbon neutral eFuels, which are chemically equivalent to fuels used today and can therefore be dropped-in to existing engines without any modifications required.