Application in domestic CHP systems to be trialled.
The Japanese government is staging a comprehensive initiative to promote the development of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), to help secure its future energy supplies, amid increasing concern about the availability and cost of fossil fuels.
Indeed, with its energy self-sufficiency only better than Italy’s among the main industrial countries, Japan is coordinating and funding a huge research effort into alternative energy sources, with a main thrust, the full commercialisation of PEFCs.
The Ministry of Enterprise, Trade and Industry (METI) is directing much of the research in this field through the country’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO), which has a huge R&D budget of 192bn Yen (US$1.6bn).
METI is subsidising a mass trial of PEFC stack Combined Heat and Power systems in Japanese houses according to Professor Kenichiro Ota of the Chemical Energy Laboratory at the Yokohama National University near Tokyo: “There are around 2,000 homes where PEFC systems are being tried out, which are all being supported by the government. This is a larger number than anything happening in any other country right now.” The first of these units was installed in the official residence of the Japanese Prime Minister.
Toshimichi Yamanishi, Chief Officer of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology division at NEDO, says the agency is currently working on larger PEFCs for commercial use, “As well as PEFC systems for vehicles and homes, we are in addition developing 100-200kW stacks for use in businesses.”
PEFCs are already being employed in hybrid cars and other electric vehicles, while PEFC power sources for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices are on the verge of coming to market in Japan.
“The government is really pushing hard these days for research into new energy such as hydrogen and various types of fuel cells, both stationary and for vehicles. They’re funding work at places like our research laboratory and other universities, as well as at the government agencies,” said Professor Ota.
