A big week for the greenies in Japan sees renewable energy technology get equal billing
The launch this year of the world's first production fuel-cell car, the Toyota Mirai, has driven the accelerated growth of hydrogen refuelling station infrastructure development across Japan. And the introduction of Toyota's fuel-cell passenger vehicle to the Japanese market has also served to focus unprecedented attention on this year's International Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Expo at the Big Site complex on Tokyo Bay..
...Regarded as the planet's biggest expo of its type, the fuel cell expo drew some 1580 companies from around the world, participating in five days of lectures, demonstrations of future and existing technologies and test drives of fuel cell cars including the Mirai and Honda Clarity.
Senior engineers from Daimler, Volkswagen, General Motors, Toyota, Iwatani Corporation (energy co) and JX Nippon Oil and Energy updated the gathered industry types and media on the latest developments in fuel cells, hydrogen production and delivery systems and battery technology...
Gas company Taiyo Nippon Sanso Ltd revealed a world-first with its compact portable hydrogen station mounted onto the back of a 10-ton truck. H2 to go- anywhere.
...The question begs. Why is Japan so aggressive in its adoption and development of hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars and the infrastructure to support it? Japanese car companies including Toyota, Nissan and Honda have been developing fuel cell cars for well over 10 years. But it was the earthquake, tsunami wave and resulting nuclear disaster in March 2011 that forced the government to shut down its 54 nuclear reactors and look for alternative forms of energy that stimulated car and energy companies to accelerate hydrogen-based technologies.
The Honda Smart Hydrogen Station- Home fueling of Hydrogen Vehicles
...Up until early 2011, Japan's energy needs were split up into 20 per cent nuclear, 30 per cent coal and the remainder in oil and natural gas. To fill the gap created by the loss of nuclear energy, Japan started importing more oil which has led to higher energy (electricity) prices and higher C02 levels.
So the car industry, energy companies and government came to a collective realisation in late 2011 that diversifying its energy needs, and steering towards hydrogen, gives the country a way out of the higher energy costs and environmental issues. The recent launch of the world's first hydrogen-powered fuel cell car in Japan, the Toyota Mirai has given added impetus and urgency to hydrogen infrastructure development. That is why the country is pushing ahead with plans to build at least 100 hydrogen refueling stations nationwide by the end of 2016...
A Hydrogen Station can be built anywhere there is water and electricity.
With mass production, the cost will nosedive
Tech always gets better and cheaper-that's a 5 megabyte hard drive from 1956 - being loaded via forklift onto plane.
The only exhaust from a Hydrogen Electric Vehicle is water.
Thanks to Toyota, Honda and Hyundai, gasoline is no longer required to get from point a to points b, c and d. It's too bad that Obama cut R&D fuel cell funding when he took office. The US could have led this revolution.
It's too bad that Obama cut R&D fuel cell funding when he took office. The US could have led this revolution.
Hydrogen fuel cells don't really reduce fossil fuel consumption. They merely shift direct consumption from the automobile to the power plant needed to produce the electricity that generates the hydrogen.
Hydrogen is NOT an alternative energy source... it is merely a method to store energy, similar to a rechargeable battery...
Now if Japan was increasing it's solar, hydro, geothermal or wind generating capacity to generate hydrogen, THEN there would potentially be a reduction in fossil fuel dependency.
Too bad the GOP/Tea Party enabled the Chicoms to illegally dump solar cells on the US Market below cost... Solyndra could've provided the solar cells needed to generate hydrogen.
Now if Japan was increasing it's solar, hydro, geothermal or wind generating capacity to generate hydrogen, THEN there would potentially be a reduction in fossil fuel dependency.
Actually a very good point.
I was a little jealous that you managed to make Op40 even angrier than I did. Strangely enough, the rest of us would say that you are much more alt-energy friendly than the rest of LF on these issues.
It is obvious, as you indicate, that hydrogen generation is one of the best solutions for storing energy from other alt-energy sources like solar/wind and for replacing oil as a vehicle fuel. You need a way to run your civilization when it's dark or when the wind is calm or when you need the portable power of an internal combustion engine.
Too bad the GOP/Tea Party enabled the Chicoms to illegally dump solar cells on the US Market below cost... Solyndra could've provided the solar cells needed to generate hydrogen.
There's so much error in this one statement (and I think you know it) that it isn't worth discussing. The Tea Party did not take any stands on hydrogen.
But how long until the fabled Hydrogenmobile dominates car sales?
Markets and sales
In January 2015 it was announced that production of the Mirai fuel cell vehicle would increase from 700 units in 2015 to approximately 2,000 in 2016 and 3,000 in 2017.
Japan
Sales in Japan began on December 15, 2014. Pricing starts at ¥6.7 million (~US$57,400) before taxes and a government incentive of ¥2 million (~US$19,600). Initially sales are limited to government and corporate customers. As of December 2014, domestic orders had already reached over 400 Mirais, surpassing Japan's first-year sales target, and as a result, there is a waiting list of more than a year.
The Japanese government also provides a subsidy of 50% of the installation costs, with ¥7.2 billion (~US$61.7 million) allocated for fiscal year 2014.[44] A hydrogen station in Japan costs ¥280 million (~US$2.4 million) which is about ¥150 million (~US$1.29 million) more than in Europe which allows more generic materials.
Toyota delivered the first market placed Mirai to Prime Minister's Official Residence and announced it got 1,500 orders in Japan in one month after sales began on December 15, 2014 against a sales target of 400 for 12 months.
United States
Sales are scheduled to begin in California by mid-2015, followed by five Northeastern States in the first half of 2016 as hydrogen fueling infrastructure is built in the Boston and New York region. Toyota will provide free hydrogen fueling for the first three years to initial buyers of the Mirai, just as Hyundai does for lessees of its Hyundai Tucson-ix35 Fuel Cell in California. Toyota expects cumulative sales of 3,000 Mirais in the U.S. by the end of 2017.
In the American market the 2016 Toyota Mirai will start at US$57,500 before any government incentives, and a leasing option for 36 months will be available with a US$3,649 down payment and a lease rate of US$499 per month. Several states have established incentives and tax exemptions for fuel cell vehicles. As a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), the Mirai will be eligible for a purchase rebate in California of US$5,000 through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. The existing federal tax credit for fuel cell vehicles expired on 31 December 2014.
Europe
The market launch in Europe is slated for September 2015. The UK, Germany and Denmark are the first European countries where the Mirai will be released, followed by additional markets in 2017. In Germany, pricing starts at 60,000 (~US$75,140) plus VAT. Former European Parliament President Pat Cox estimates that Toyota will initially lose between 50,000 to 100,000 (US$60,000 to US$133,000) on each Mirai sold in 2015.
So Toyota, the big leader in hydrogen, may build 10,000 Hydrogenmobiles worldwide in 2020. Maybe.
Hell, GM and the others might as well lay off their workers and close their factories right now. : )
I'm still trying to figure out how you, of all people, came to be known as hydrogen's Public Enemy #1 here at LF. LOL.