Roadmap to A Hydrogen Economy
by Amri Widyatmoko
In Japan, the largest pilot project of hydrogen-powered city called “Fukouka Hydrogen Town”. Starting in 2008, Nippon Oil & Seibu Gas Co. began installing 150 power generation units in houses. These are 1kW fuel cell system utilizing hydrogen in LPG with built in hot-water storage. This is the world smallest size household fuel cell co-generation system. This system can cover about 60 percent of the power consumption and 80 percent of the hot water supply of households.
Japan has set a target of 5.3 million fixed fuel cells by 2030. This project has aim to create a hydrogen energy based society for the future. Why is Japan interested in fuel cells? The Japanese government has shown high levels of dedication to green technology development since the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997, to minimize effects on climate change caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. Fuel cell technologies play an important role in this plan, with government focusing on: FC Vehicles, Stationary fuel cells, hydrogen production and hydrogen storage technologies. And the idea of a self-sufficient city producing its own energy is being even more aggressively pursued following the tsunami and Fukushima nuclear accident. Japanese firms also gearing up efforts to expand their hydrogen-related businesses, backed by the government’s latest pledge for a carbon neutral society by 2050.
In 2021, Japan also starting The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) is a joint Japanese-Australian project intended to produce plentiful, affordable fuel for Japan. The hydrogen will be produced and liquified in the Australian state of Victoria, where it will be extracted from a type of coal known as lignite. But this is controversial since every tonne of hydrogen produced from coal emits 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than double the CO2 emissions created when hydrogen is produced from natural gas.
Green hydrogen can be manufactured by electrolysis of water, using electricity obtained through renewable energy. They have backers insist it can be environmentally viable — if not renewable — through carbon capture programmes.
Beyond that, this is good example how to create a roadmap toward hydrogen economy. First, hydrogen was listed as an energy source in a national policy and promote hydrogen can be produced renewably and can play a major role in decarbonizing industry, residential and transportation. Then companies which dedicated to the growth of fuel cell technology reaffirming their commitment with aggressive R&D targets and governmental support. Customer impressions of companies are also affected by how visibly “green” they are, which is also helping to increase visibility and sales of fuel cells. Given the trend of today’s society, it is not hard to believe that in the future, there will be a city run by fuel cells.
