No.220, PDF Version, July 2014
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THE LATEST NEWS NUMBER 220, 2014 FCDIC 180% PEFC Output by Microbe Enzyme Catalyst Arranged by T. Homma 1. Governmental Measures cycles were changed, and the regulations of (1) Liberal Democratic Party of Japan re-inspection for visual examination and leak test th On May 28 , the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan were prepared. (The Nikkei & Nikkan Jidosha held a joint meeting of the environment working Shimbun, May 31, 2014) group, and the research group of environment and (3) MOD measures against global warming, and three The Ministry of Defense will start development of manufacturers were invited to explain low-carbon unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), which is emission facilities and the technology. Kawasaki equipped with a fuel cell (FC) system and can operate Heavy Industries gave explanations on a method to for a long time, with a total investment of ¥2.6 billion. produce hydrogen from lignite at a low cost and the Current UUVs in the market using storage battery as significance of hydrogen use. They described that a power source operate for between a several hours hydrogen was essential to reduce CO2 emissions, and and several dozen of hours. This project aims for a hydrogen gas turbine generation, as well as fuel cell dozen of days of operation period by installing a FC vehicles (FCVs), were effective to promote the market. generation system in the UUV. The vehicle is expected The meeting also had Chiyoda Corporation to explain to support antisubmarine warfare and to transport hydrogen transport. (The Denki Shimbun, May 29, and place equipment as well as underwater data 2014) collection. The tender is planned this autumn to (2) METI choose a contractor. (The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, th On May 30 , the Ministry of Economy, Trade and June 5, 2014) Industry (METI) announced that the regulations and public notices on hydrogen tanks for FCVs were 2. Local Governmental Measures partially changed. The performance requirements (1) Osaka Prefecture including filling pressure and performance of On May 12th, Osaka Prefecture announced that the hydrogen tanks were altered to fit to the international state approved the experiment of hydrogen energy regulations. As well as the Ordinance on Safety for usage at Kansai International Airport as a project of Pressure Vessels” of the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, “Kansai Innovation Comprehensive Global Strategic the change was made in the public notices, based on Special Zone”. Toyota Industries plan to finish the the ordinance, indications and inspection methods. development of a FC forklift in the FY 2014, and the The maximum filling pressure of hydrogen gas was airport will test it on the premises. Iwatani will increased from the current 75 to 87.5 MPa. Also the develop a hydrogen supply facility for the precondition temperature of the definition of nominal development. (The Nikkei, May 13, 2014) º use pressure was brought down from 35 to 15 C. This (2) Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture temperature decrease allows more hydrogen to be On May 12th, Ikoma City of Nara Prefecture filled or stored. According to the High Pressure Gas announced that approximately 30,000 m2, currently Safety Office of METI, the new regulation lets about used as a sport field and to be closed in 2015, would be 20% more hydrogen be filled. Additionally, the sold as a residential area. A condition for bidders is a pressure of the pressure test and the number of test 1 http://www.fcdic.com/ development plan of a “smart community” in which regulations, a high price of FCVs, higher preparation houses are equipped with a photovoltaic generator cost of hydrogen filling stations than in the West and and FC. The city office will take proposals until June the ensuring of human resource for hydrogen related 16th. (The Nikkei, May 13, 2014) operations. On the day, Toyota explained its FCV (3) Tokyo promotion, and JX Nippon Oil & Energy gave a talk Tokyo will investigate into making a hydrogen society. on hydrogen infrastructure construction. The Hydrogen is a promising next generation energy in members shared and discussed the current state and many ways such as reduction in environmental issues of hydrogen usage as energy. (The Yomiuri impact and improvement of energy efficiency. The Shimbun, The Nikkei, The Sankei Shimbun & The Tokyo government will collect basic information Tokyo Shimbun, May 17, 2014; The Denki Shimbun, through surveys to find out issues on hydrogen use. May 19, 2014; Architectures, Constructions & The investigation will find out profitability, economic Engineerings News (Daily) & Nikkan Kensetsu ripple effect, energy use estimation for a grown period Sangyo Shimbun, May 20, 2014) and the number of hydrogen filling stations required (4) Yokohama City in future. (Nikkan Kensetsu Sangyo Shimbun, May Yokohama City has started taking subsidy 14, 2014) applications for installation of smart energy On May 13th, the finance department of Tokyo equipment for established houses. The subsidy announced a tender for the investigation project for supports ¥10,000 for home energy management hydrogen society. Before the actual tender, those who systems (HEMS), ¥60,000 for HEMS and domestic want to bid have to apply to be qualified for the FCs, ¥110,000 for HEMS, domestic FCs and tenders, and the office will take applications for photovoltaic generation systems. The city will qualification until 16th. The qualified bidders will be subsidize a total of 600 applicants. (Nikkan Kensetsu notified on 28th, and the tender results will be Sangyo Shimbun, May 15, 2014) announced on June 4th. The investigation will last (5) Greater Tokyo until May 13th, 2015. The bidder must fit in class A to On May 20th, a leader meeting of nine local B in the investigation of compensation assessment governments including Tokyo, three surrounding and the market of Tokyo’s classification for bidders. prefectures and designated cities was held in The office asks bidders to have experience of hydrogen Shinagawa-ku. The mayors and governors made a or FC related investigations in past three years and decision to request “measures to create hydrogen electricity or energy, apart from hydrogen, related society” to the Japanese government, and the greater investigations in past two years, for Japanese or local Tokyo, the largest energy consumer, will take an government. Also oversea research experience of initiative in campaigning to raise understanding of hydrogen energy is required. The investigation project hydrogen energy as well as the promotion of hydrogen will collect basic information through survey and find usage. In the meeting, they all agreed to ask the state out issues for hydrogen society. (Architectures, for schemes of financial support and deregulation for Constructions & Engineerings News (Daily), May 14, hydrogen filling station preparations and subsidy for 2014) FCV purchase. (The Sankei Shimbun & The Saitama On May 16th, Tokyo held the first meeting of the Shimbun, May 21, 2014) Tokyo Strategy Committee for hydrogen society. The (6) Kyushu Regional Strategy Committee committee aims to share strategies to promote On June 3rd, the Kyushu Regional Strategy hydrogen through discussions about the possibility Committee held a meeting in Beppu City, Oita and issues of hydrogen usage as energy. Prof. Takeo Prefecture, and decided to prioritize three energy Kikkawa was appointed as the chairperson, and the sources, geothermal, marine and hydrogen in the committee consists of manufacturers and energy expected growing energy industry in Kyushu for their providers including the Tokyo Electric Power early commercialization. Each field will have a Company and Tokyo Gas. In the first meeting, the working group to draw up a project plan in the FY committee pointed out issues including the 2014. (The Nishinippon Shimbun & Oita Godo 2 http://www.fcdic.com/ Shimbun, June 4, 2014) neutron diffractometer at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARK) and X-ray 3. FC Element Technology Developments crystallography facilities at Spring-8 and the High (1) Tokyo Institute of Technology Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). A research group of Associate Prof. Keiko Waki at the The analysis determined the structure using neutrons Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and and X-rays in a wide range of temperature from room Engineering of the Tokyo Institute of Technology has temperatures to 1000ºC, as well as visualization of discovered that multi-walled carbon nanotubes oxide ions’ diffusion path. (The Nikkan Kogyo (CNTs) having defects showed high catalytic activity. Shimbun, May 29, 2014) CNTs were previously thought to barely have catalytic (2) NIMS activity and to need impurities such as metals or The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) nitrogen for the activity. Replacing precious metal of and Hokkaido University have announced that a catalyst in FC with defect CNT can contribute to boron nitride (BN) nano-sheet was found to act as an significant cost saving. (The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction. This finding May 16, 2014) hopefully leads to further development of electrode A team of Prof. Takeo Ohsaka at the Tokyo Institute material for FCs. In this experimental development, of Technology has developed a highly durable catalyst BN was supported on a gold surface. The team for FCs. The new catalyst is about eight times more discovered that the material became conductive and durable than conventional platinum catalysts while BN stably captured oxygen molecules by an electron performing at the same level. This can extend the state change; however, BN is an electrical insulator. operating time of FCs, and contributes to the growth They also calculated the energy change of each of FCs. The team aims to improve further to establish process of oxygen reduction on the surface. The results a mass production method, and targets indicate the material can function as catalyst for commercialization within five years. The trial catalyst oxygen reduction. In the study, nano-sheets and nano is made of combination of tantalum oxide and tubes of BN were supported on a gold surface to make platinum particles.