Honda Begins Experiments with Hydrogen Home Energy Station and Improves Solar-Cell Technology for Production of Hydrogen

October 2, 2003, U.S.A.

Corporate

TORRANCE, Calif., October. 02, 2003 - Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Honda's subsidiary responsible for research and development activities has established an experimental Home Energy Station that generates hydrogen from natural gas for use in fuel cell vehicles while supplying electricity and hot water to the home.

Exterior of Home Energy Station

Exterior of Home Energy Station

Exterior of Home Energy Station

Exterior of Home Energy Station

The new Home Energy Station system that has been jointly developed with strategic fuel cell partner Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) is located on the grounds of Honda R&D Americas in Torrance, California, and will undergo experiments in hydrogen production, storage and fueling, as part of ongoing research into hydrogen energy sources.

The new Home Energy Station system, which can currently produce enough hydrogen to refill the tank of a Honda FCX hydrogen fuel cell vehicle taking just a few minutes once a day, consists of the following major processes and components:

  • a reformer to extract hydrogen from natural gas;
  • a fuel cell unit to provide power for the overall system that utilizes some of the extracted hydrogen;
  • a refiner to purify the hydrogen;
  • a compressor for pressurizing the extracted hydrogen; and
  • a high pressure tank unit to store the pressurized hydrogen.

Honda also announced the development of next-generation solar cell panels made by Honda Engineering, a Honda subsidiary. The new solar panels feature a light-absorbing layer formed by a compound made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) which lowers the amount of electricity required for production process of solar cells, compared with ordinary silicone-crystal type solar cells. The electrolysis unit, which generates hydrogen from water, has been replaced with a new Honda-developed compact unit that achieves higher efficiency using a new Ruthenium based catalyst. Both the new solar cells and the new electrolysis unit are mounted on the Honda solar-cell powered hydrogen refueling station in Torrance, California to improve the total efficiency.

Honda has long held the view that hydrogen fuel cell power has the potential to be the next-generation power plant needed to overcome problems related to the development of alternative fuels, reducing exhaust gas emissions, and reducing the effects of global warming. Honda is researching ways to improve the energy efficiency of the hydrogen fuel production process and vehicle efficiency.

Features of the Home Energy Station Prototype

Location: Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
Torrance, California, U.S.A.
Hydrogen production capacity: Maximum 2Nm3/hour, Purity of 99.99% or higher
Hydrogen storage capacity 400 liters @ 420 atmospheres
System configuration: Reformer
Fuel cells
Refiner
Compressor
High-pressure storage tank

Home Energy Station structural outline

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Solar powered water electrolyzing hydrogen station

Location: Inside the Honda R&D Americas Los Angeles research center (same as Home Energy Station)
Structural system: Solar battery / electric converter / electrolyzing system / compressor / pressurized hydrogen tank
Hydrogen production capacity: Used alongside commercial electric power Max. 2Nm3/h
  Solar power only Max. 2Nm3/h
N= standard atmospheric conditions at measurement of 0°C,1atm atmospheric pressure)
Hydrogen storage capacity: 400 liters(350 air pressure)

Photograph of solar powered water electrolyzing hydrogen station

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Photograph of solar powered hydrogen station water electrolyzing module

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