BIOTECHWORKS-H2 Inc. is developing a program that generates hydrogen (H2) from waste and then converts it into energy. This program can process a broad range of organic waste and can also decrease CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional waste incineration. Since the program can produce e-fuel (synthetic fuel) from waste collected anywhere in Japan, CEO Akihide Nishikawa believes that rolling out plants for this program across Japan will make the country an energy-producing nation.
Please tell us about BIOTECHWORKS-H2’s services.
We can produce hydrogen from a region’s organic waste, and then recommend methods to fully utilize the hydrogen in ways that meet local needs. For example, in urban areas with high waste output, our plan can reduce CO2 emissions by mixing hydrogen into the gas used in natural gas-fired power plants.
In regions with heavy snow, hydrogen-generated electricity can supplement solar power, which often underperforms during winter months. Other ideas include producing agricultural fertilizers using hydrogen-based ammonia or generating methane gas for gas-based power generation.
Waste management costs local governments about 20,000 yen per capita, each year (*). If this expense can be lowered, then funds can be channeled to education, welfare, and healthcare, improving the happiness and well-being of the locals. It can kick off a positive cycle where the local population grows, a lively community flourishes, and tax income increases.
Deploying our program will instantly transform waste-something worthless- into something invaluable.
*Reference: “3. Waste Disposal Expenses,” from the Ministry of the Environment’s Press Release “Municipal Solid Waste Generation and Disposal in FY 2023,” March 27, 2025
What drove you to start your business, and what are your core principles?
While studying economics at university, I founded an apparel planning and development company. I continued to start a few more companies after that. I have been in the fashion industry for more than 25 years.
The origin of BIOTECHWORKS-H2 came from gaining firsthand knowledge of the apparel industry’s waste problem. The industry is filled with mass production and mass-disposal, with CO2 emissions so high that they rank second only to the petroleum industry. I was driven by a desire to find a way to recycle discarded fashion items or textile products.
Textile products contain a wide range of materials, including natural and synthetic fibers, plastic and metal, among others; this means that fashion waste is not very different from household waste. If that is the case, we thought, then let’s convert the whole spectrum of organic waste into energy through hydrogen production.
To bring the idea to life, our principle is to cooperate and work together with existing waste management corporations instead of competing with, or trying to wrestle leadership from them. In practice, with existing waste management companies, we provide the knowledge and methods as a part of an existing system or through licenses. With power or energy companies, we have a transactional relationship, trading in the energy we generate.
What is your outlook?
The ultimate goal is to manufacture synthetic “e-fuel” from CO2 and hydrogen. E-fuel is similar to artificial crude oil and can be converted into gasoline, kerosene or gas oil, but its production requires large amounts of hydrogen. Our method of making hydrogen from everyday garbage makes us the perfect provider.
One of our current goals is to implement waste management facilities that incorporate our program in every prefecture across Japan by 2050. When this happens, all prefectures will be able to produce e-fuel from hydrogen obtained from their local waste.
If this goal is achieved, someday we may not even need to import crude oil. We have received inquiries about our technology from Middle Eastern oil-producing countries.
Energy issues are a major cause of wars around the world nowadays. Our technology can be a first step towards resolving conflicts and promoting peace and happiness. I am confident that our business has this colossal potential.
