Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) has announced plans to establish a new verification testing facility at its Morimachi Factory in Shuchi-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture. This facility will feature a melting furnace and heat treatment furnace utilizing hydrogen gas.
Starting in 2025, Yamaha Motor will initiate the development and verification of technologies for melting aluminum alloy with hydrogen gas. Comprehensive testing will cover facility requirements, equipment capabilities, and more. By the end of 2026, the company aims to finalize the technologies for melting aluminum alloy and heat-treating cast parts using hydrogen gas. Implementation at domestic and international casting factories is slated to commence from 2027 onwards.
The move towards hydrogen energy forms part of Yamaha Motor’s strategy to reduce Scope 1 CO2 emissions across its product life cycles. Currently, natural gas and fossil fuels power the thermal energy needed for melting aluminum alloys in the production of cast parts for motorcycles and outboard motors. Electrification was deemed inefficient due to the substantial heat requirements, leading the company to explore hydrogen energy, already under study for Scope 3 emissions reduction.
The verification testing will investigate hydrogen gas effects on quality and develop temperature control techniques using hydrogen burners. Yamaha Motor is also exploring the integration of green hydrogen production equipment and methanation systems, collaborating with Shizuoka University to create e-methane without external heat sources. The company aims to develop cost-effective hydrogen production equipment and technologies for capturing and reusing CO2 from exhaust gases.
Aligned with its Yamaha Motor Group Environmental Plan 2050, Yamaha Motor targets carbon neutrality across its supply chains, including business activities, by 2050. Accelerated efforts are underway to achieve carbon neutrality at manufacturing sites, including group companies, by 2035, focusing on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reductions.
For more information on Yamaha Motor’s environmental initiatives and future developments, visit their website or contact their corporate communications department.
