Honda to build solar hydrogen station in Saitama, use FCX for mobile power
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 67 KB
- Volume
- 2011
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1464-2859
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✦ Synopsis
Honda to build solar hydrogen station in Saitama, use FCX for mobile power I n Japan, Honda Motor Co plans to build a Solar Hydrogen Station in the grounds of the Saitama prefectural government office, near Tokyo, to be in operation by March 2012. The company will also provide an FCX Clarity fuel cell car equipped with an electric power outlet so it can serve as a mobile electric generator.
The initiative is part of the Electric Vehicle Testing Program for Honda's next-generation personal mobility products, in which Honda and Saitama Prefecture are currently collaborating. In a further initiative, Honda will equip the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle with an outlet to function as a 10 kW or higher power source; with its new outlet the vehicle will be able to act as a zero-emission mobile generator.
In March 2009, Honda and Saitama Prefecture signed an agreement to collaborate on environmental issues. Under this agreement, since last December Honda has been implementing an EV testing program in Saitama featuring advanced electromotive technology, and communications and telematics, to help realize future low-carbon mobility.
Within this program, the Saitama Prefectural Office solar hydrogen station will represent the hydrogen-powered society of the future, while the specially equipped FCX Clarity car will refuel at the solar-powered station. This setup will allow Honda to conduct extensive testing on the technological capabilities and operational requirements of the solar hydrogen station in a real-world urban environment.
The FCX Clarity fuel cell car became available for lease in the US in July 2008 and in Japan that November [FCB, July 2008]. In early 2010 the automaker began experimental operation at the Los Angeles center of Honda R&D Americas of a compact, quiet and lowcost next-generation Solar Hydrogen Station for household use [FCB, February 2010].
In other news, Honda is constructing a hydrogen refueling point at its car manufacturing facility in Swindon, UK, according to a Fuel Cell Today report. Swindon Borough Council has received a £250 000 (US$400 000) grant from the South West England Regional Development Agency to build the station by the end of this year.
The council hopes to position Swindon -also home of MEA manufacturer Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells -as a center for testing and development of fuel cell vehicles; it is apparently also in talks with local bus companies about switching to run on hydrogen.