Newly Established Green Energy Frontier Co., Ltd. to Begin Operation; Energy Supplier will Contribute to Decarbonization Drive at Narita International Airport

Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA) (President & CEO: Mr. Akihiko Tamura) and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Gas) (Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and CEO: Mr. Takashi Uchida) have established Green Energy Frontier Co., Ltd. to supply Narita International Airport with its energy requirements. The new company will begin operating on April 1, 2023. 

NAA will transfer*1 its energy supply facilities to Green Energy Frontier on April 1 so that the new company can begin supplying Narita International Airport with energy for electricity and heating, and take on the challenge of decarbonizing the airport's energy supplies by 2050. Between then and 2050, the new company will invest 100 billion yen in the construction of new energy plants and the installation of the largest airport solar power generation plant in the world*2, with an output of 180 megawatts*3.

Narita International Airport is Japan's primary air transport gateway and is undertaking a major capacity enhancement project to accommodate a global surge in demand for air transport and increases in passenger traffic from neighboring countries Logo in Asia, as well as to meet competition from around the world. It has also declared a commitment to zero carbon emissions from airport facility energy supplies and airport service vehicles by 2050. 

Green Energy Frontier will take over NAA's energy supply facilities, including its extra high-voltage substations and heat source facilities, and will devote its efforts to energy supply and airport decarbonization by utilizing the Tokyo Gas Group's expertise in building and operating large-scale energy plants, large-scale solar power projects and decarbonization technologies such as e-methane*4. 

Moving Toward Decarbonization of Narita International Airport
Green Energy Frontier will take up the challenge of decarbonized energy supplies for the airport in 2050. During that transition period, the company will work toward improving energy efficiency and steadily reducing carbon emissions by introducing more advanced management of existing plants and building new plants. It then has plans for a large-scale solar power generation plant and the introduction of next generation decarbonization technology, including hydrogen and carbon recycling, with a total investment of 100 billion yen by 2050. It will be the first in the world to create a "decarbonization model for airports" at Narita International Airport by combining environmental friendliness with resilience, and will adapt this technology and expertise into urban development and industrial parks around the airport.

Specific Initiatives

1. Replace existing plants with cutting-edge energy plants

• Phased replacement of aging central power distribution plant and central heating and cooling plant with new energy plants (Expected completion: First half of 2027 for the new central power distribution plant, and first half of 2034 for the new central heating and cooling plant)
•  Overall reduction in carbon emissions and enhancement of resilience through the introduction of a cutting-edge energy management systems as well as advanced technology in the form of digital innovation in security, etc.

2. New 180 MW solar power generation plant, the largest such airport plant in the world

• Potential for solar panels on approximately 200 hectares new runways and on top of buildings at Narita International Airport
• 75 MW by the end of fiscal 2030 and a further 105 MW by the end of fiscal 2045
• Use of locally produced and consumed energy to decarbonize electricity for about 70,000 households*5 Illustration of New Central Heating and Cooling Plant

Comment by Mr. Akihiko Tamura, President and CEO, Narita International Airport Corporation
"Replacing aging energy supply facilities and reducing our environmental impact in the future through decarbonization are major challenges at Narita International Airport at present. In order to address these challenges, we felt that the shortest and most effective path was a joint venture with Tokyo Gas because of its wealth of knowledge and experience in the energy supply business, and the advanced decarbonization 
technology it possesses. To that end, we formed the joint venture company, Green Energy Frontier. We will now confront these challenges together with Tokyo Gas and work toward stable energy supplies and decarbonization at Narita International Airport."

Comment by Mr. Takashi Uchida, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and CEO, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
"The joint venture between Narita International Airport and Tokyo Gas has a major mission built on a history of 40 years of supplying energy to the airport: the 2050 decarbonization of energy supplies. Based on the knowledge and technological capabilities we have acquired to date, we will introduce the latest digital innovations and development technologies of the day and form alliances with other companies to address the challenge of responsible transition. Narita International Airport is a key element in Japan's infrastructure and it is where we will provide stable supplies, advanced resilience, improved productivity and advanced decarbonization for the future of the airport and the future of the world."

*1: The transfer of NAA’s energy supply assets to Green Energy Frontier is pending approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
*2: According to NAA and Tokyo Gas
*3: Capacity of solar power generation panels
*4: Term used to refer to a synthetic methane produced from green hydrogen and other non-fossil energy sources. 
Existing main gas infrastructure and appliances can be used, thus enabling a smooth transition to carbon 
neutrality while also curbing the cost to the community.
*5: Calculation based on the following conditions
Usage ratio for solar power generation: 16.8% (Source: Data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
General household electricity consumption: 3,708 kW-h per household per year (Source: Ministry of the Environment website)