As already reported, Honda and Iwatani are going to carry out a demonstration test of solar hydrogen station jointly with Saitama Prefecture. On March 27, they held an opening ceremony at the Saitama prefectural office area where the station would be set up.

This demonstration test is aimed to accumulate the application technologies of hydrogen utilizing a renewable energy source with installation of the solar hydrogen station developed by Honda’s own technology, which is set up inside the premises of Saitama Prefectural Office entrusted by the Ministry of Environment. For the experiment, they will use a fuel cell vehicle (FCX Clarity) equipped with the function of external output power supply. It is the first attempt in Japan to introduce a high-pressure water electrolysis system instead of any mechanical compressor. In the demonstration test at this time, not only solar panels but also commercial power supply is connected. However, it is also one of the aims to verify the balance of solar and commercial powers. The test at the same time is also intended to examine practicability of solar panels for a future power generation system of dispersed type.

Honda takes it into account to utilize a similar station generally for home use in the future. In that case it would be inevitable to have a storing facility on the assumption of filling hydrogen generated in the daytime by solar power into FCV during the nighttime. It follows that we have to examine from now on how to store such high-pressure hydrogen for home use appropriately.

The high pressure water electrolysis system developed by Honda with its own technology is characteristic in its quietness because there is no mechanical driving function. In Honda’s accomplishment of the technical development, the high seal-up performance of electrolytic membrane was most important to create a high pressure of 35 MPa solely at the hydrogen pole side, as Honda recollects now.

The technology of development originally was intended for enhancement of efficiency in case of down-sizing of a water electrolysis system, but it now makes feasible technically to attain much larger capacity and higher pressure. Further developments can be expected in response to any required scale or usefulness of the station.