Saitama, Japan is just 20 miles northwest of Tokyo and is the latest recipient of a hydrogen fueling station. The new solar powered hydrogen station adds an additional fueling option to Japan’s Hydrogen Highway system.
Within 24 hours the Honda hydrogen fueling station can produce around 1.5 kilograms of H2 gas which is enough to fill the Honda FCX Clarity to about 1/3 full. As part of this project Honda has added electrical power outlets to the Clarity so that combined with the solar-hydrogen fueling station, the combination become an electricity generation station.
One has to wonder whether this move is in response to the Japanese tsunami which happened in March 2011 or disaster preparedness for what some speculate may happen in December 2012.
According to Wired, “While most hydrogen fueling stations rely on hydrogen that’s either been reformed elsewhere from natural gas, Honda’s test system in Saitama uses a high pressure water electrolysis system to produce hydrogen. The electricity to power this particular system comes from a mix of grid power and solar power, which together can create 1.5 kg or hydrogen in 24 hours — enough to run the FCX Clarity for 90 miles.”
The volume of hydrogen gas produced in 24 hours sounds to be a bit on the low end of the spectrum, but nonetheless this gives more options to FCX Clarity drivers around Tokyo that they otherwise may not have had.
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