In March on its premises in Fuchu, Toshiba will complete a Hydrogen Energy Research and Development Center to conduct tests of electric power storage systems using hydrogen. The company will then be able to participate in the hydrogen related business on a full scale basis.

Specifically, the research will consist of generating electric power with a solar panel installed on the roof of a newly constructed research center encompassing an area of 900 m3. Hydrolysis will then be carried out using this electric power and the hydrogen from this will be stored in a tank. When this is required, such as on days when it rains, it can be changed again into electricity, and used on the premises such as in the cafeteria. Inside the electrolysis unit, for the conventional electrolyte, in addition to the Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cell (PEMEC) which uses ions, the solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) technology has been developed which electrolyzes at the high temperature of 800℃ and which uses ceramics as the electrolyte. As yet, however, it has not gone into practical use but plans call for it to be installed. It is anticipated that combined with the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), the energy exchange ratio will reach 80%. The hydrogen storage capacity of the tank is 1,500 Nm3, and the hydrogen electric storage capacity is 1,400kW. Also, plans call for the oxygen generated during electrolysis to be used to treat the ozone in the water discharge of the facility.

The business premises in Fuchu where the center will be constructed was a place where elevators and railroad rolling stock was developed and built. In terms of the facility and the area it occupies an environment has been created whereby research can be conducted on the infrastructure system of the company. Right now, solar cell systems and electrolysis facilities are being developed and produced at their other respective centers but the idea is that research on all the systems can be undertaken more efficiently by consolidating these at the Fuchu center. As of this spring Toshiba will conduct tests of a system in Kawasaki. This system will be the same makeup as the one in Fuchu but at a scale of 1/4. The company plans to sell a system based on the size of the test system to local governments.

Ryo Nakajima, manager of the Next Generation Energy Business Development Project of the company stated with a view to the future, “For our company, which is strongly positioned in all types of equipment such as solar power generation and electrolysis facilities, hydrogen is a business which can bring about synergetic effects. I would like this eventually to become a future pillar of our business.” He also went on to say, “I really don’t think we can cover all of our hydrogen business just with our own technology. For example, in the area of transport, there are companies with more knowhow than we have. I would like to form cooperative ties with those companies which would enable us to make mutual use of our strong points.”