Five Singapore and two Japanese companies will explore ways to use hydrogen as a low-carbon energy source here.

The Singapore firms - PSA Corporation, Jurong Port, City Gas, Sembcorp Industries and Singapore LNG Corporation - will evaluate and develop a business case for the feasibility of importing and using hydrogen here.

That will involve assessing technology to safely transport hydrogen in chemical tankers at normal atmospheric temperature and pressure that has been developed by the two Japanese partners - Chiyoda Corporation and its main shareholder, Mitsubishi Corporation.

The seven firms signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday with support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

Publicly funded researchers will work alongside the companies to study how technologies such as catalysis can be further developed for the production and distribution of hydrogen.

PSA International South-east Asia chief executive Ong Kim Pong said lowering carbon emissions to reduce the impact of climate change is a vital pillar of the company's business.

City Gas CEO Kenny Tan said the firm is studying the viability of using green hydrogen in its town gas manufacturing process to further lower carbon emissions. It produces and sells piped town gas to over 860,000 homes and businesses.

THE BUSINESS TIMES