With Japan moving toward wide adoption of fuel cell vehicles by fiscal 2015, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry seeks to secure a steady supply of high-purity hydrogen. Hydrogen used in fuel cells is 99.99% pure, while the hydrogen that oil distributors use in removing sulfur content from oil is about 90% pure.

Those firms, in collaboration with METI, will develop technology to extract high-purity hydrogen, with an eye toward creating a new source of income. The undertaking—from technology development to trials— is estimated to cost 500 million yen [US$6.2 million] over a three-year period from fiscal 2011. The ministry will pay half of the cost.