On December 25, 2014, JX Nippon Oil & Energy announced its hydrogen (H2) price at JPY 1000 per kg (tax-excluded, equivalent close to JPY 89.9 per Nm3) applied to the hydrogen sold at the commercial hydrogen stations to be operated by the JX group.

As for the price of hydrogen sold by the hydrogen stations, Iwatani already came up with JPY 1,100 per kg (equivalent to about JPY 10 per Nm3) in November 2014, and JX’s price has been decided lower by 10%. JX is constructing its commercial hydrogen stations at 11 locations for aimed opening within this year in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba and Aichi prefectures. On the same day of announcement of hydrogen price, the first one has been opened.

The announce hydrogen price will be applied to all ENEOS hydrogen stations including the one in Ebina City. The Ebina Station opened as the starter of the JX group is an integrated model with gas station accompanied by service station (SS) for the first time in Japan. Maintenance services like car-washing or tire changing are available there.
The hydrogen supply capacity is 300 Nm3 per hour with a filling pressure at 70MPa of fill-up time within three minutes. The compressed hydrogen is brought by trailer in an off-site style. The station is managed by ENEOS-Net of the existing SS operator, which is fully owned by JX Nippon Oil & Energy.

JX has already been granted the subsidy for 23 locations under the national subsidization projects of 2013 and 2014 to promote establishments of commercial hydrogen stations. For the 11 locations, eight SS integrated and three stand-alone stations have been planned. The remaining 12 locations are planned to employ a mobile style.

Now that the two companies Iwatani and JX who promote hydrogen infrastructure have announced hydrogen prices in quick succession, keen attention is now paid to what price will be set by other operators who may come after them.