Building technical foundations for the AJ-INSPIRE Energy Project
Stellenbosch University’s H₂GEN platform, represented by Prof Prathieka Naidoo (Sasol/DSI-NRF SARChI Chair in Green Hydrogen Integration and Transition) and Dr Gerrit Ter Haar (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering), undertook a five-day technical visit to Japan from 2–6 February 2026. The mission formed part of the AJ-INSPIRE Energy Project, a JICA-funded joint research initiative between E-JUST (Egypt), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), and JKUAT (Kenya), aiming to design and optimise standalone green hybrid charging stations for electric and hydrogen vehicles across three African countries.
Sengaku-ji, Fukuoka
Kyushu University, Fukuoka
The visit opened at Kyushu University’s ITO Campus in Fukuoka, where the team met with Prof Nishihara at the International Hydrogen Energy Center and Prof Yagi at HYDROGENIUS (Research Center for Hydrogen Industrial Use and Storage). Discussions covered Japan’s expanding hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, some 150 stations nationwide, with 16 in Fukuoka Prefecture alone, alongside the operational and safety requirements of hydrogen dispensing. The HYDROGENIUS laboratory tour provided first-hand insight into research on hydrogen embrittlement in metals and polymers and thermophysical behaviour under high-pressure conditions, both directly relevant to the storage and dispensing systems being designed for the African stations.
Team at Kyushu University’s ITO Campus in Fukuoka
Asahi Kasei Headquarter
In Tokyo, the team visited Asahi Kasei’s headquarters for a technical briefing on the company’s Aqualyzer™ alkaline electrolyser range, spanning a containerised 1–7.5 MW unit to large-scale 100 MW plant configurations. Key performance data, including a 20–100% turndown ratio, 30 bar output pressure, and 99.8% hydrogen purity, were discussed alongside operational experience from the Fukushima facility. A particularly important finding for the project was that intermittent start-stop cycling under solar-only operation causes electrolyser degradation, making integrated battery storage essential for off-grid African applications. The team expressed strong interest in the 1 MW containerised Aqualyzer C-Cube for the project’s off-grid stations, with next steps dependent on the completion of a non-disclosure agreement.
Yamanashi Prefecture
The team travelled to Yamanashi Prefecture for visits to FC-Cubic (Fuel Cell Cutting Edge Research Center) and Hydrogen Company Inc. At FC-Cubic, detailed presentations on fuel cell evaluation and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication were followed by a tour of high-pressure research facilities. At Hydrogen Company Inc., the team observed an operational green hydrogen system using 10 MW of photovoltaic electricity and PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen for industrial heat, distributed by high-capacity transport trucks. This provided a valuable reference point for comparing centralised versus standalone hydrogen generation, a key design question for the African project.
Hydrogen Company Inc. – Hydrogen Green X Innovation centre in Yamanashi Prefecture
Chiyoda Corporation, Tokyo
The final day took the team to Chiyoda Corporation, where they were introduced to SPERA Hydrogen™ technology, a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) system using methylcyclohexane to enable long-distance hydrogen transport. A global supply chain demonstration, tracing green hydrogen from production in Brunei to end-use in Japan, broadened the team’s perspective on hydrogen logistics and the longer-term potential for cross-border hydrogen trade in the African context.
Team at Chiyoda Corporation, LOHC pilot plant
Looking Ahead
The Japan visit delivered substantial technical value for the AJ-INSPIRE project, particularly in informing electrolyser selection, battery integration strategy, and off-grid station design. Key research questions to be pursued include a comparative analysis of standalone versus centralised hydrogen generation and the two pathways for solar PV utilisation: direct vehicle charging versus grid injection. The team is also exploring the possibility of including researchers from the visited institutions as collaborators in the next project phase.
Team at JICA headquarters, Tokyo
