Toyota targets wind for hydrogen fuel cells
Industry-government joint venture to take first step with forklift trucks
Toyota is responding to the main criticism of fuel-cell cars, that making the hydrogen for the fuel is not clean, with plans to help make the hydrogen using wind power.
Fuel cells are zero-emission, running on the power created when hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to make water. But to have a totally clean supply chain, the hydrogen must also be cleanly made. Right now, most hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels.
Hydrogen from wind-power plant Hama Wing in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, will be compressed and transported by truck to power fuel-cell forklifts at four sites in the area: a factory, a vegetable-and-fruit market and two warehouses.
The project is a partnership between Toyota, the cities of Yokohama and nearby Kawasaki, and the prefectural Kanagawa government. Japanese electronics and energy company Toshiba and energy supplier Iwatani are involved in the project as well.
Why not just use the electricity produced by wind power for electric vehicles? Why bother making hydrogen? Shigeki Tomoyama, Toyota’s senior managing officer, said it is easier to store hydrogen than electricity, and clean hydrogen is the best fix for global warming and energy security.
“A stable supply of CO2-free hydrogen is needed,” he said. Toyota, which makes the Prius gas-electric hybrid, said electric vehicles are limited because of their range.
Wind-powered hydrogen is expected to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by at least 80 per cent compared with using gas or grid electricity, according to the companies.
The hydrogen-carrying trucks, which were newly developed, serve as hydrogen-fuelling stations for the forklifts.
Japan hopes to become a leader in hydrogen power and plans to showcase its prowess during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Costs and ensuring an adequate hydrogen supply are obvious challenges.
Honda rolled out the latest version of the Clarity fuel-cell vehicle last week, while Toyota’s fuel cell-powered Mirai is already on sale. Such vehicles are still too expensive for regular consumers, and are mostly leased to ministries and companies.