Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced that it has signed an onshore hydrogen gas transport MOU with Transgaz, which is the state-controlled natural gas transmission system operator located in Romania, which, by the way, has considerable expertise and experience when it comes to natural gas pipelines. The announcement took place at the Romania-Japan Innovation Forum 2026 in Tokyo. The MOU was officially signed in the company of officials from the governments of Japan and Romania.
As part of this strategic partnership, the companies are going to work together to realize the large-scale transportation of hydrogen gas through onshore pipelines, as planned by Transgaz for Central as well as Eastern Europe. Integrating experience and expertise from Transgaz in pipelines with Kawasaki’s centrifugal hydrogen compressor technology, this partnership is indeed going to solidify Romania’s position as an energy center in Central and Eastern Europe and set a precedent for the safe and stable supply and transport of hydrogen to neighboring countries.
As a first step in Onshore Hydrogen Gas Transport MOU with Transgaz, Kawasaki intends to start demonstration trials in Romania for the onshore transport of pure hydrogen gas, utilizing its centrifugal hydrogen compressor – KM Comp-H2. This demonstration will be carried out as the Romania/Hydrogen Supply Chain FS Demonstration Project: Centrifugal Hydrogen Compressor for Onshore Hydrogen Gas Transportation selected to be included in the FY2024 Supplementary Budget Future-oriented Co-creation with the Global South” program – Support for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Reinforcement of Collaboration with Central and Eastern European Countries of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry – METI. This demonstration will mark the first attempt in the world to achieve large-scale transportation of hydrogen gas by pipeline.
Lowered production and distribution costs would be necessary for widespread acceptance of hydrogen energy. One way this is happening is by raising expectations for onshore pipelines that can move large quantities of hydrogen efficiently. One of the big challenges for realizing such pipelines is the demand for technology that can effectively compress large quantities of pure hydrogen gas to high pressures in a confined space. In this demonstration project, Kawasaki will utilize its accumulated know-how on centrifugal hydrogen compressors in an effort to contribute to the realization of efficient onshore hydrogen gas transportation.
Kawasaki is seeking to develop a hydrogen supply chain by combining its technology for large-scale transport of hydrogen gas through pipelines with its broad selection of hydrogen products such as turbines, engines, carrier vessels, tanks, etc., contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral world.