Data facilities are main power hogs, requiring large quantities of present to energy their servers and different expertise. But Honda’s headquarters operation is operating just a little cleaner as of at present, the automaker switching to a zero-emissions system powered by hydrogen gas cells.
Honda is without doubt one of the trade’s greatest proponents of hydrogen energy, not too long ago saying plans to introduce its next-generation fuel-cell car, a model of the favored CR-V crossover set to succeed in U.S. showrooms in 2024. But the automaker sees different purposes for the expertise, because the demonstration program at its Torrance, California campus demonstrates.
“We believe there’s great promise in hydrogen fuel cells for backup power and offsetting potential peak power events,” stated Koji Moriyama, undertaking lead of the stationary gas cell undertaking. “By installing and utilizing our core technology, the fuel cell system, in various applications such as stationary power generation, Honda aims to stimulate hydrogen usage and provide clean energy for potential commercial customers.”
Old is new once more
First conceived within the 1850s, gas cells mix hydrogen with oxygen from the air to provide a stream of present — with water vapor the one byproduct. That energy can be utilized to run the electrical motors in a car, relatively than counting on a battery. But it additionally can be utilized as a stationary supply of power, changing standard gasoline, diesel or pure gasoline mills.
![American Honda Installs Stationary Fuel Cell System](https://i0.wp.com/www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Honda-Torrance-hydrogen-fuel-cells-REL-1024x768.jpg?resize=788%2C591&ssl=1)
The system in use for the Honda HQ undertaking depends on powertrains reclaimed from previous Honda fuel-cell automobiles, such because the Clarity FCV that ended its manufacturing run two years in the past, the automaker defined.
If extra energy is required, a further 4 previous fuel-cell “stacks” might be added, including one other 250 kilowatts.
Teaming up
While Honda has but to put out a proper timetable for commercializing its hydrogen producing system, it stated in an announcement that “Future stationary FC units intended for commercialization will utilize Honda’s next-generation FC system jointly developed with General Motors.”
That’s the identical fuel-cell system that shall be used within the hydrogen-powered Honda CR-V.
Fuel-cell expertise solely noticed its first industrial utility develop as a part of the Apollo lunar program the place gas cells supplied energy for manned capsules headed to the moon.
![2017 Honda Clarity FCV](https://i0.wp.com/www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-Honda-Clarity-FCV.jpg?resize=788%2C526&ssl=1)
Honda started engaged on hydrogen expertise again within the Nineteen Eighties, about the identical time as GM. The two determined to group up in 2013, laying out plans to take a position about $85 million to develop extra superior expertise.
Cheaper, extra environment friendly fuel-cell stacks
Last month, because it introduced the upcoming CR-V fuel-cell car, Honda gave a touch of how far the 2 automakers have come since then.
The latest-generation fuel-cell stack will are available at barely a 3rd of the price of the prior-generation expertise, and is anticipated to be extra environment friendly, extra dependable. It additionally will in a position to function at considerably decrease temperatures, a key requirement for each vehicles and back-up energy mills.
During a media webcast, Honda officers outlined a few of their objectives for the next-gen expertise, together with each vehicles and industrial and development automobiles. It additionally pointed to the potential for stationary energy technology.
The program in Torrance will assist display the expertise’s potential.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Honda-GM-Relationship-Timeline-1024x576.jpg?resize=788%2C443&ssl=1)
The competitors
Like Honda, General Motors sees quite a lot of alternatives for fuel-cell expertise. It final yr introduced its personal line of stationary and cellular energy mills. It is also experimenting with purposes reminiscent of changing the standard diesel techniques utilized in fashionable locomotives. But, a minimum of for now, GM has particularly dominated out utilizing hydrogen for vehicles.
One of the challenges of utilizing hydrogen is the shortage of a manufacturing and distribution community, analysts level out. On the plus facet, refueling might be completed considerably sooner than recharging batteries.
Honda and GM aren’t the one one exploring alternatives to make use of the light-weight gasoline. Both Toyota and Hyundai are field-testing fleets of gas cell-powered semi vans. Both firms at present promote retail automobiles powered by hydrogen. Hyundai’s HTwo subsidiary is taking a look at a wide range of different purposes, together with boats, rail and stationary energy technology.
Startup Nikola plans to start delivering hydrogen vans of its personal later this yr.
Source: www.thedetroitbureau.com