Ammonia from Tsubame BHB's Commercial-Scale Demonstration Plant at INPEX Now Supplied to Mitsubishi Gas Chemical

Plant at Kashiwazaki Hydrogen Park moves from trial operation to production and supply

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tsubame BHB Co., Ltd. ("Tsubame BHB" or "the Company"), a deep-tech company originating from the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology), announced that ammonia production and supply have commenced at the first commercial-scale demonstration plant delivered by the Company.  

Leveraging its low-temperature, low-pressure ammonia synthesis technology, the Company is advancing the real-world deployment of distributed, locally produced ammonia and accelerating its international expansion.

The plant is installed at Kashiwazaki Hydrogen Park in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, where INPEX Corporation ("INPEX") is conducting the Blue Hydrogen and Ammonia Production and Utilization Demonstration Project, and uses Tsubame BHB's electride catalyst technology. On October 23, 2026, INPEX began supplying ammonia produced at the plant to Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. ("Mitsubishi Gas Chemical").

Following the start of trial operation announced in January 2026, the plant has now moved into the production and supply of ammonia to an external company, marking the first practical deployment of Tsubame BHB's technology in a real-world operating environment.

Electride Catalyst Technology

For approximately a century, ammonia has been produced from hydrogen and nitrogen using the Haber–Bosch (HB) process, developed in Germany, in large-scale facilities operating at high temperatures of 400–500°C and high pressures of 10–30 MPa. Although this process has supported global food production, its high-temperature, high-pressure conditions favor large, centralized facilities, concentrating production in a limited number of locations.

Tsubame BHB's technology is based on an electride catalyst developed by Honorary and Institute Professor Hideo Hosono of the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology). It enables efficient ammonia synthesis at temperatures of 300–400°C (approximately 100°C lower than conventional methods) and pressures of 3–5 MPa (as low as approximately one-tenth of conventional pressures).

By combining a plant design that emphasizes safety with a system that allows catalyst replacement, the Company has made it possible to reduce equipment size. This enables distributed, on-site ammonia production close to where it is needed, including within factory premises. Production can also use locally sourced water, air, and electricity. Depending on the sources of hydrogen and electricity, the technology can be used to produce either green or blue ammonia.

Our Vision

Tsubame BHB's on-site technology enables a "local production / local consumption" model of distributed ammonia production, in which the required quantities are manufactured close to the point of demand.

A supply model that does not depend on imports or long-distance transportation is less exposed to risks such as supply disruptions and fluctuations in international prices, helping to support stability in agriculture and energy supply.

To date, Tsubame BHB has received orders for two ammonia synthesis plants in Japan, including the facility described in this release. Overseas, the Company is pursuing discussions and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) targeting orders in Brazil and India. By accelerating deployment in Japan and abroad, Tsubame BHB aims to address challenges in both domestic and international markets through the practical adoption of distributed ammonia production.

Comment from Koji Nakamura, President and CEO

"We are extremely pleased that the first commercial-scale plant we delivered has moved from trial operation to the production and supply of ammonia. This is a major milestone for electride catalyst technology, which originated in a university laboratory and is now operating in a real-world setting. We will build on this achievement to accelerate the deployment of distributed ammonia production in Japan and overseas."

About Tsubame BHB

Tsubame BHB is a deep-tech company whose mission is "to bring original technology from the laboratory to society. Using technology that synthesizes ammonia at low temperatures and pressures, the Company aims to help establish on-site ammonia production systems based on distributed plants. Founded in April 2017 as a carve-out from Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Tsubame BHB utilizes electride catalyst technology developed by Honorary and Institute Professor Hideo Hosono of the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology).

SOURCE Tsubame BHB Co., Ltd.