Toho Studios is eliminating all CO2 emissions from electricity usage. Photo courtesy of Toho Co.; Ltd. © TOHO CO., LTD.
Source: Toho Co., Ltd. press release
In June 2023, Toho Co., Ltd. and JERA Co., Inc. announced their plan of achieving zero CO2 emissions from power consumption at Toho Studios in Japan. JERA recently revealed that it has started supplying electricity generated by hydrogen to Toho Studios through its subsidiary, JERA Cross. This is the first commercial use of electricity generated by a hydrogen-only, zero-emission thermal power plant in Japan.
Toho, internationally known for its business in the entertainment field centered on movies, and JERA, an energy company pioneering efforts to eliminate CO2 emissions in the energy field, have been working toward the realization of "24/7 Carbon Free Electricity"「24/7（twenty-four seven）カーボンフリー電力, 24/7 (twenty-four-seven) Kābon Furī Denryoku」* at Toho Studios from FY2024 as part of efforts to achieve zero CO2 emissions from power consumption at Toho Studios.
JERA has been constructing a hydrogen power generation facility on the premises of the Sodegaura Thermal Power Station in Sodegaura City, Chiba Prefecture. Now that construction and commissioning have been completed, JERA Cross will supply power to Toho Studios off-site, and commercial use of electricity generated by the zero-emission thermal power plant, which is exclusively hydrogen-fired, has begun. In addition to hydrogen power generation, Toho Studios has introduced power supply from JERA's solar power generation facilities, and will continue its efforts to make all power for Toho Studios 24/7 carbon-free power.
Toho and JERA will establish a roadmap to achieve zero CO2 emissions from power consumption at Toho Studios, reduce CO2 emissions through the phased introduction of carbon-free power, and ultimately achieve “24/7 carbon-free power” to open up new possibilities for a sustainable global environment. The two companies will work together to realize a new possibility for a sustainable global environment through this initiative.
Photo courtesy of Toho Co.; Ltd. © TOHO CO., LTD.
Comment from Hiro Matsuoka, President and Representative Director, Toho Co.
With the cooperation of JERA, Toho Studios, a facility for filming and post-production of movies and other visual content, has begun to use carbon-free electricity based on state-of-the-art technology.
We believe that achieving carbon-free power in film production in consideration of the global environment is one of our social responsibilities as an entertainment company. We will continue to drive the decarbonization of the industry as a whole and promote environmentally friendly and clean business activities while striving to deliver excitement to our customers around the world.
Comment from Yukio Kani, Chairman and Global CEO, JERA Corporation
I am very pleased to see the first commercial use of hydrogen-fired zero-emission thermal power generation in Japan, and I would like to express my gratitude to Toho for providing us with this opportunity. Toho's project to produce films using 100% carbon-free electricity is a pioneering project for the decarbonization of the entertainment industry. In addition to the zero-emission thermal power generation, JERA will combine renewable energy with the latest digital technology to provide “24/7 carbon-free electricity” to realize this project.
In this initiative, a diverse team is working to create new value with Toho, and this project is a condensed version of JERA's mission. With this initiative as a starting point, JERA will continue to provide cutting-edge solutions to the world's energy problems.
Diagram of electricity supply ratio and CO2 reduction at Toho Studios. Photo courtesy of Toho Co.; Ltd. © TOHO CO., LTD.
*Note: “24/7 carbon-free electricity” is the name for electricity that emits no CO2 for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or 365 days a year. In accordance with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's “Guidelines for Retail Sales of Electricity,” this means that 100% of the electricity demand will be supplied with zero CO2 emission power sources as the power source composition, together with environmental value through the use of non-fossil certificates.
About Toho Co. Ltd.
Toho Company provides high-quality entertainment to a wide range of customers through its film production, distribution, and exhibition business, which is solidly supported by its real estate business including the Shinjuku Toho Building and Hibiya Chante, animation production, DVD software production and sales, and TOHO Cinemas' efforts to expand its network of multiplex cinemas. Among these, "Godzilla," which has been around since 1954, is Toho's flagship IP that has many fans around the world and has been loved for many years.
About JERA Co., Inc.
JERA is a global fuel and power generation company established in April 2015 by The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (at that time) and Chubu Electric Power Co. In October 2020, JERA announced "JERA Zero Emission 2050" with the goal of achieving zero CO2 emissions from domestic and overseas operations by 2050. emissions from domestic and overseas operations by 2050. In addition to expanding renewable energy sources, JERA is striving to develop "zero-emission thermal power plants" that do not emit CO2 during power generation.
Abput Toho Studios
Since its establishment in 1932, Toho Studios has produced Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAi (七人の侍, Shichinin no Samurai), THE BLUE MOUNTAINS (青い山脈, Aoi Sanmyaku), STATION (駅, Eki), and other masterpieces that represent Japanese cinema, as well as the "Godzilla" series such as SHIN GODZILLA (シン・ゴジラ, Shin Gojira), which have left their mark on Japanese film history. It is one of the largest video production sites in Japan, providing an integrated work environment from preparation to shooting and finishing.