Fcvs Displayed in Japanese & US Motor Shows the LATEST
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THE LATEST NEWS NUMBER 213, 2014 FCDIC FCVs Displayed in Japanese & US Motor Shows Arranged by T. Homma 1. Governmental Measures behavior of hydrogen in the pipeline will be analyzed. (1) MOE Also, simulation will be carried out to find out the th On October 28 , the Minister of the Environment diffusion of hydrogen leaked in a building. These Nobuteru Ishihara showed the ministry’s intention to details will be taken into the technological standards realize energy independent and distributed society in and circular notices under the Gas Business Act. As remote islands by using hydrogen as well as offshore the number of hydrogen refueling facilities for FCVs floating wind turbine generation to be commercialized increases, the demand of hydrogen gas supply as early as possible. Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, through pipelines to distribute from these facilities to has installed the first 2MW class floating wind stationary FCs at home and office buildings is turbine in Japan. In FY 2014, a project will start to expected to go up. To meet the demand, the ministry convert the electricity into hydrogen for storage, and will prepare the legal standards to secure safety and hydrogen will be used by fuel cells (FCs). The to be ready for efficient supply systems of hydrogen community with independent and distributed energy gas. This hopefully contributes profitability will be tested as “Goto Model” from next year. As well improvements of hydrogen refueling businesses. as the experiment, the Ministry of the Environment (Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, November 7, 2013) (MOE) aims to reduce CO2 emission by replacing From FY 2014, METI will create a new framework diesel generators in remote islands with renewable with collaboration of automobile related academia and energy in the future. (The Denki Shimbun & The business including automakers, universities and Nagasaki Shimbun, October 29, 2013) ventures in Japan. Japanese universities have issues (2) METI such as old research facilities and many mismatching st On October 31 , the Minister of Economy, Trade and research subjects with respect to industries’ demand. Industry Toshimitsu Motegi announced that a system On the other hand, automakers need to develop a reform subcommittee would be established on variety of powertrains including FCV fast. (The th November 12 to discuss administration Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, November 13, 2013) improvements for the gas industry. The subcommittee As a measure for hydrogen filling stations, the will examine in depth on full liberalization of ministry will relax the requirements for compressed consumer gas service, open access to the gas network, natural gas (CNG) filling stations to allow hydrogen and borderless energy providing service which allows refueling facilities to be installed easily on their an electricity or gas provider to supply both gas and premises in order to supply natural gas driven cars electricity. Mr. Motegi demonstrated his recognition of and FCVs. At the moment, a compressed hydrogen changes needed the administration of the gas facility has to be separated 6 m or more from a CNG industry to realize new usage of gas such as gas facility on the same site. METI will shorten the cogeneration systems and hydrogen supply for fuel distance from 6 to 3 m with a reinforced concrete cell vehicles (FCVs) which are to be commercialized barrier. At CNG filling stations, natural gas from the within two years. (The Denki Shimbun, November 1, grid is compressed to refuel CNG vehicles, and these 2013) filling stations can extract hydrogen from natural gas The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and compress hydrogen on site with a hydrogen (METI) will compile technological standards for facility. Being a considerable advantage for businesses, pipelines for hydrogen supply as early as FY 2015. this negates the need to store a large volume of Materials for pipeline will be selected, and the 1 http://www.fcdic.com/eng/index.html hydrogen, and can reduce initial investments. (The contractor will select facilities for installation, and Nikkei, November 14, 2013; The Nikkan Kogyo then make a basic plan to strengthen disaster Shimbun, November 21, 2013) controlling function of the system and project schedule. METI plans to revise the regulations of the Also, they investigate the possibility to expand the automobile inspection for FCVs in FY 2013. As well as project to other areas. (The Nikkan Kensetsu Kogyo an automobile inspection, FCVs are required to be Shimbun, October 31, 2013; Architectures, tested for their fuel tanks to store highly pressurized Constructions & Engineerings News (Daily), hydrogen. The tank inspection period will be extended November 1, 2013) one month which makes the period 26 months. (The (2) Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, November 15, 2013) Kuwana City of Mie Prefecture and its land (3) Cabinet Office development corporation will choose a house The Cabinet Office will begin a revision of the provider from proposals applied through public tender development plan for advanced energy technologies. for the “Model Town of Urban Smart House” which is An expert council will be established to pick subjects an advanced development at the Hidamarinooka area. of various energy technological developments. The The requirements for the project are 50 or more subjects include highly efficient thermal generation, houses to be built on the land, and all of them must generation and combustion technologies which have generation and power storage facilities, highly include highly efficient thermal generation and FC, efficient water heaters, and energy management renewable energy which incorporates floating wind systems. For generation and power storage, at least turbine, storage battery and energy management. two of photovoltaic generation system, FC Prioritized technological developments will be chosen cogeneration and storage battery have to be installed. by next July, and be taken in the “Advanced Energy A highly efficient water heater must be selected from Technological Developments” of the Council for CO2 refrigerant heat pump water heater, condensing Science and Technology Policy which are to be revised boiler or FC cogeneration system. For energy in FY 2014. (The Denki Shimbun, November 14, management, a home energy management system or 2013) an energy saving navigator is required. (Architectures, (4) METI & MILT Constructions & Engineerings News (Daily), METI and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, November 11, 2013; The Nikkan Kensetsu Kogyo Transport and Tourism (MILT) will start developing a Shimbun, November 12, 2013) scheme of type certification for FC motorbikes. The type certification is required for production and sales 3. Ene-Farm Business Plans of FC motorbikes running on electricity produced by (1) Ishikawa Prefectural Wooden Housing Association hydrogen. Also, the two ministries are considering On October 26th, “Smart Park Higashikagazawa unifying safety standards for FCVs. (The Nikkan House Exhibit Encore Fair” of the Ishikawa Kogyo Shimbun, November 20, 2013) Prefectural Wooden Housing Association started at a residential area for sale in Kanazawa City. Five 2. Local Governmental Measures members of the association sell energy creating (1) Gifu Prefecture houses which are equipped with solar panels or October 30th, Gifu Prefecture announced application Ene-Farms. This residential area is the first smart information for open proposals to choose a contractor town certified in Kanazawa City, and has 19 housing of a project to design a basic plan of next generation lots. In the lots, two housing lots have show houses, energy promotion to fortify disaster control function. and seven housing lots are for sale to build customized The prefecture plans to install next generation energy houses. (The Toyama Shimbun & The Hokkoku systems which consists of FC, storage battery and Shimbun, October 27, 2013) renewable energy such as photovoltaic generator at (2) Market Result “Roadside Stations”, highway rest areas which Fuji-Keizai revealed its market research of “Trends function as shelters and disaster control centers. The of Energy Creating House and Electricity Only 2 http://www.fcdic.com/eng/index.html House”. The report says 424,000 units provided in FY generators. The number of contracts for double 2012 were energy creating houses which outnumber generation for FY 2013 is about 1,350, which is electricity only house figure of 400,000 units. The approximately a 60% raise on that of the last fiscal housing department of the Japan Prefabricated year. (The Nikkei Business Daily, November 12, 2013) Construction Suppliers & Manufacturers Association (7) Hiroshima Gas reports its results for FY 2012 based on “Eco Action Hiroshima Gas decided to sell Ene-Farm which 2020”. The report shows net CO2 emission was generates power by natural gas for apartment units. reduced by 14.2% compared to FY 2010. (The Nikkan The new Ene-Farm is designed to be installed in a Kensetsu Kogyo Shimbun & Jutaku Shimpo, October pipe shaft space by an entrance door, and aims to be 29, 2013) available from FY 2014. (The Chugoku Shimbun, (3) Tokyo Gas November 23, 2013) October 30th, Tokyo Gas announced that consumer gas price would be reduced by an average of 2.09% 4. Cutting Edge Technologies of FCV & EV from December 10th. The consumer basic plans will be (1) Kondo Electric & Toyo System cut down by an average of 1.59%. The selective plans Kondo Electric which produces electric parts in including direct debit payment discount will be Asakawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture, and Toyo brought down by an average of 3.13%. The Home FC System which manufactures analysis facilities for plan, a type of selective plan will be lowered by an batteries in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, average of 2.49%. (The Mainichi Newspapers, The together have developed an electric vehicle (EV) Denki Shimbun, Kanagawa Shimbun & Chiba Nippo, running on gas canisters for tabletop (or camping) October 31, 2013) stoves. The EV has already passed motor vehicle (4) Haseko inspection. The two firms aim to sell the vehicle to Haseko Corporation will design and construct a new local governments and businesses in 2014.