In January 2017, Aquafairy (President: Mikio Aizawa), manufacturer of fuel cell (F/C), agreed with Misato-cho, Miyazaki Prefecture, Shudensha (dealing with the repair of electric appliances and the sales of environmental equipment) and Sumitomo Corporation for the establishment of a base to produce Portable Fuel Cell, “AF-EFE30H” having a self-generating H2 and fuel cartridges. They are planning to complete a plant within 2018.

The production of above-mentioned fuel cell started in 2016. The F/C has been drawing people’s attention to its self-generating function as a suitable battery for the emergency power supply in case of disasters and also the cartridges to enable storing for 20 years at maximum as long as no water is added. The establishment of the plant is intended also as a storing base in Kyushu.

Shudensha in charge of production will contemplate the output plan and the amount of capital investment from now on. Hitoshi Ishizaka vice president of Aquafairy commented about the location of this production base that Misato-cho located high above the sea level free from tsunami is suitable for storing. He says that the company intends to utilize the base to expand the sale of equipment and supply the H2 cartridge all over the Kyushu area.

The Portable F/C AF-EFE30H with self-generating H2 (selling at 500 thousand yen) developed by the Aquafairy in 2016 is loaded with two cartridges (to generate 0.5m3 each of H2) which wrap calcium hydroxide with plastics to produce H2 by reaction with water. The reaction with oxygen in air can generate 30W at maximum (40 hours in case of a continuous operation at 30W.)

By loading this cartridge, the structure of self-generating fuel cell becomes possible requiring no filling H2. Furthermore, the maximum 100W can be attained together with the built-in storage battery. About 15 units have so far been sold.