World's Largest 'Hydrogen Town Project' Starts in Japan

2009.01.29 Thu

A ceremony to celebrate the first installation of a residential hydrogen fuel cell system was held on October 11, 2008, as part of the "Fukuoka Hydrogen Town" model project, which has been in progress in Minakazedai and Misakigaoka Danchis (residential housing communities) in Maebaru City, Fukuoka Prefecture, in southern Japan. These two bordering communities were chosen as demonstration sites for the project in order to promote the use of hydrogen energy, particularly for fuel cells. Under the project, the systems are to be installed at 150 houses in the communities. This will be the world's largest demonstration project of this kind. From the end of fiscal 2008, the feasibility test will continue for about four years in order to examine the energy-saving effects of the system.

This model project is being promoted by the Fukuoka Hydrogen Strategy (Hy-Life Project), which is run by Fukuoka Prefecture and the Fukuoka Strategy Conference for Hydrogen Energy, to lead the world in realizing an environmentally friendly hydrogen energy society. The Conference is the nation's largest collaboration between industry, academia and local government, and is designed to undertake hydrogen-based research and development, encompassing the areas of production, transportation, storage and application of hydrogen, in addition to demonstration activities and cultivation of human resources in this field.

By the end of fiscal 2008, Nippon Oil Corporation and Seibu Gas Energy Co. will jointly start installing 150 Ene Farm power generation units, which are 1 kW-class, residential fuel cell co-generation systems developed by Nippon Oil Corporation, utilizing hydrogen in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This system can cover about 60 percent of the power consumption and about 80 percent of the hot water supply of typical households. Furthermore, energy consumption will be reduced by about 30 percent over conventional systems, and carbon dioxide emissions will be cut by up to 30 percent. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) is subsidizing the project.

- Fukuoka Aspires to Realize an Earth-friendly Hydrogen Energy Society!
http://www.investfk.jp/industry_06.html
- Fukuoka Designated for 'Hydrogen Technology Research Zone' (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026025.html

Posted: 2009/01/29 06:00:15 AM