Analysis: Methane Hydrate Innovation May Alter Power Geopolitics

(Oxford Analytica) — Japan’s Mitsui Holdings is making progress in its efforts to commercialize extraction of methane hydrates from below the seabed, which could unlock a vast source of potential hydrogen production. If successful, it could provide a fillip for Japan’s drive to decarbonize its economy and for Japanese auto manufacturers’ efforts to develop an alternative to battery-powered electric vehicles. Given the extent of methane hydrate deposits globally, success in Japan could have implications far and wide.