JERA, through its corporate venture capital arm JERA Ventures, has invested in Koloma, a U.S.-based natural hydrogen exploration and development company.
The investment, as well as insight into Koloma’s approach to natural hydrogen exploration and development, will support JERA’s efforts to deepen its understanding of natural hydrogen’s potential as a future source of low-carbon energy.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Koloma combines proprietary geological data, specialized exploration tools and field experience to identify and evaluate prospective natural hydrogen resources. The company has raised more than US$400 million from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures and Amazon.
Natural hydrogen found underground is gaining interest as a potential low carbon energy source. Unlike manufactured hydrogen, which requires significant energy input for production, natural hydrogen occurs naturally beneath the Earth’s surface and can potentially be extracted directly, without the need for energy-intensive production processes. As a result, it could offer a lower-cost source of low-carbon hydrogen if commercially viable resources can be identified and developed at scale.
The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that approx. 5.6 trillion tonnes of natural hydrogen may exist underground globally, although only a fraction is expected to be technically or economically recoverable. While natural hydrogen has been identified in locations around the world, commercial-scale resources have yet to be established.
Through investments in emerging technologies and businesses, JERA is exploring new energy solutions that can contribute to both energy security and decarbonization. JERA will continue to work with innovative companies to develop new options for a reliable and lower-carbon energy system.
About JERA
JERA is a global energy leader and Japan’s largest power generation company focused on providing cutting-edge solutions to the world's energy issues. Established in 2015, the company produces one-third of Japan’s electricity and is one of the largest LNG buyers in the world. JERA has global reach and strength throughout the energy supply chain, including participation in upstream gas exploration and production, LNG projects, fuel procurement and transportation, and power generation globally. In support of a responsible energy transition, JERA aims to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions from its domestic and overseas businesses by 2050.
Source: JERA
