Towards the planned general commercial sales of FCV in 2015, infrastructure developments have already been on the way. The second subsidization of 2014 public offering projects was announced on May 21, and seven cases were granted. The total number of granted cases is 13 now including those granted in the first offering which was announced on April 2.

The budget of the 2014 subsidization projects amounts to 7.2 billion yen. The contents of menu increased and the subsidies are allocated depending on hydrogen supply capacity, mobility or responsiveness of equipment to liquefied hydrogen.

According to the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center, the subsidization by the second offering was granted to 6 cases of JX Nippon Oil & Energy and 1 case of Iwatani, which shows some consideration for expansion of supply systems. In case of JX Nippon Oil & Energy which had 10 granted projects in 2013, it had no project at the first offering, but this time it turned out to be 6 projects consisting of 2 of off-site type, 1 of on-site type, 2 of mobile type and 1 of concentrated H2 plant, making the total number up to 16 projects.

In case of Iwatani which had been stated publicly to be involved in the management of 20 stations out of the targeted 100 locations of Hydrogen infrastructure, a total of 10 projects have been granted including the above mentioned 1 of off-site type and 4 at the first offering of this year as well as 5 granted last year.

In the offering at this time, a total of 32 locations of infrastructure have been fixed, but the figure does not reach just one third of the targeted 100 locations in 2015. The FCV Promotion Office of Resources and Energy Agency (METI) says, “It is within the scope of our assumption as the most applications are expected in 2015. We also started to invite the third offers closing on June 18 for the year of 2014. We have already received an inquiry.”