Hydrogen Filling Station for Fuel-Cell Vehicles Opens in Fukuoka

Nippon Oil Corp., a comprehensive energy provider in Japan, announced on September 18, 2009, the opening of its Kitakyushu Hydrogen Filling Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. This is Japan's first station using high-pressure hydrogen supplied through a pipeline to fill up fuel-cell vehicles. The company's project was done jointly with Fukuoka Prefecture, Iwatani Corp., and Nippon Steel Corp.

In cooperation with the prefecture, Nippon Oil Corp., an organizer of the Fukuoka Strategy Conference for Hydrogen Energy, has been promoting the Fukuoka Hydrogen Strategy (Hy-Life Project) to create a hydrogen energy-based society. The hydrogen station was built as part of a planned "hydrogen highway" project for test runs of fuel cell and hydrogen-powered vehicles between Fukuoka and the city of Kitakyushu.

The station uses byproduct hydrogen supplied through a pipeline from neighboring Nippon Steel Corp.'s Yawata Works. The hydrogen is ready for filling up fuel-cell cars after being compressed to a high pressure. Nippon Oil Corp. is in charge of operating the station.

Hydrogen Highway Project in Progress in Fukuoka (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029186.html
World's Largest 'Hydrogen Town Project' Starts in Japan (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028694.html
Nippon Oil Corp. official website
http://www.eneos.co.jp/english/

Posted: 2010/01/22 06:00:15 AM