THE LATEST NEWS NUMBER 208, 2013 FCDIC

Japanese Safety Standards for FCV to be International Arranged by T. Homma

1. Governmental Measures each environment. This positive energy building (1) METI (PEB) is the first work of the project. PEB is defined The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a building which is installed with energy facilities, (METI) concentrate its support for next such as a photovoltaic generator and fuel cell (FC) generation vehicles on fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) from system, to produce more energy than the building 2016, because it has determined the current measures uses. (The Denki Shimbun, June 25, 2013) by FY 2015 will give enough promotion for reduction (4) Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in cost and infrastructure preparation for electric The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of vehicles (EVs) and clean diesel vehicles. The new METI compiled an energy business strategy plan measures will focus on subsidies for purchases of fuel focusing on 11 fields which lead to innovation and new FCVs and preparation of hydrogen refueling facilities industry creation including stationary FCs, smart to promptly establish the world leading market for house and solar power plants. The seventh meeting of FCVs. This will be included in the action plans of the energy business strategy study group will be held on “Growth Strategy of ” to be approved on June June 27th, and its interim report will be used to plan th 14 . (Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, June 14, 2013) policies and budget requests from FY 2014. (The (2) Government Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, June 28, 2013) th On June 14 , the Japanese government approved (5) MLIT the “Action Plan for Regulatory Reforms”. For the From the end of July, the Ministry of Land, energy and environment field, the plan includes 74 Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will invite local actions e.g. a regulatory reform to help renewable governments and businesses which want to create, energy growth and preparation of liquid hydrogen store and save energy with town planning. The filling station standards for FCV growth. To increase expected project proposals are; town planning with the number of hydrogen filling stations an local energy source, tourism plans using EVs and investigative meeting will be held with the related housing areas with advanced environmental ministries and agencies to allow the refueling facilities technologies such as FCs, storage batteries and to be built in urban areas. As soon as the technical energy management systems (EMS). The selected standards are set, the building standards will be proposals will be given their shape with ministry prepared as well as technical advice on construction assistance by the end of FY2013. (The Nikkan permits of the Building Standards Act. The Kensetsu Kogyo Shimbun, July 8, 2013) requirements on hydrogen filling stations for the urbanization control area will be reported within FY 2. Local Governmental Measures 2013. (Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, Architectures, (1) Constructions & Engineerings News (Daily), June 17, From June 10th, Okayama Prefecture will receive 2013) subsidy applications for new energy facilities and (3) NEDO energy saving equipment for home. The subjects of th On June 24 , the New Energy and Industrial the subsidy are photovoltaic generators with either a Technology Development Organization (NEDO) home energy management system (HEMS), lithium announced the start of the construction of an “energy ion battery (LIB) or FC installation to houses, and producing building” in Lyon, France. The project is a ¥80,000 will be financed for each household. The part of their overseas experiments to apply prominent budget is prepared for a total of 310 households. (The Japanese energy technologies which are adjusted to 1 http://www.fcdic.com/eng/index.html

Sanyo Shimbun, June 8, 2013) A study group of Prof. Koichiro Fukuda of the (2) Toon City Department of Materials Science and Engineering at On June 20th, Toon City of Ehime Prefecture the Nagoya Institute of Technology developed a solid revealed its “Green Eco House” and “Green Loan electrolyte which is highly conductive to oxide ions at Plan” schemes for the town re-demarcation project of a lower temperature of 600 ºC or less. Apatite-type Shitsukawa. The city certifies houses with HEMS or lanthanum silicate polycrystals were successfully new energy facilities “Green Eco House” in the area, orientated for the first time; however the orientation and owners of these houses are eligible for “Green of the compound had been thought very difficult. The Loan Plans” which provide preferential mortgage group laid pressurized powder of two different rates. The city promotes housing developments which chemical compositions of apatite-type lanthanum fit in the landscape and are environmentally silicate like a sandwich, and isothermal heat was conscious in the area. The criteria for the certification applied to orientate the crystal structure of the are; 1) to follow the housing development guidelines of material to create the highly conductive electrode by the city, 2) HEMS installation to save energy and 3) optimizing its composition ratio. The oxide ion two facilities or more to reduce fossil fuel consumption conductivity was 0.031 S/cm at 550ºC and 0.042 S/cm such as photovoltaic generator and FC. (The Ehime at 600 ºC which are over double the result of their Shimbun, June 21, 2013) lanthanum silicate crystalline compound previously (3) Kinki District Transport Bureau & Kobe District made by the group. The new electrolyte exhibits Transport Bureau higher conductivity at low temperature than Kinki District Transport Bureau and Kobe District yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte, and it Transport Bureau drew up an “Environment Action hopefully extends life of FCs and reduces cost. (The Plan for Transportation 2013” to combat Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, June 17, 2013) environmental issues caused by transportation. The (2)NIMS action plan includes the promotion of low emission National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and “green logistics” as a key subject, which helps revealed the mechanism of surface oxidation of EVs and FCVs to grow. (Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, aluminum. An oxygen molecule beam was originally June 27, 2013) developed to regulate molecular axis orientation. By (4) Tsukuba City using the beam, the team discovered that the oxygen On July 2nd, Tsukuba City, an environmental model capture rate of the aluminum surface largely city appointed by the state, signed an agreement for depended on the molecular axis orientation. According promoting “sustainable community” concepts with to the result, oxygen molecules at a low speed, Daiwa House and NTT Urban Development translational energy of 0.1 eV or more, only reacts Corporation, a NTT Group member. Developing a with the surface when the molecular axis is parallel to housing estate in the city, these firms will use the surface. With a translational energy of 0.2 eV or sophisticated measures to realize a low carbon more, oxygen is captured irrespective of the molecular life-style. Covering approximately 9.3 ha of land, the axis direction. As well as oxidation process, the oxygen development is in C43 section of the Katsuragi area molecule beam can be used to investigate the catalytic near the Kenkyu Gakuen Station of Tsukuba Express. processes, which is expected to be applied in Daiwa House will build 175 houses to be energy alternative catalyst development for FCs. (The self-sufficient with photovoltaic generators, FCs and Chemical Daily, June 20, 2013) storage batteries in the section. These houses will be (3) Nippon Steel & Sumikin Chemical sold for approximately ¥45 million from On June 20th, Nippon Steel & Sumikin Chemical mid-September. (The Ibaraki Shimbun, July 3, 2013; announced that a porous carbon material “Escarbon” The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, July 4, 2013) was developed with Professor Emeriti Nobuyuki Nishi of the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS). The new 3. FC Related Element Technology Developments carbon material is mesoporous carbon nano-dendrite (1)Nagoya Institute of Technology (MCND), and it uses metal acetylide, which is metal

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molecules combined with triple-bond carbon, as a expected to improve the performance of solid oxide precursor. The material has pores divided by a fuel cells (SOFCs). (The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, graphene sheet on its surface as well as its dendritic June 26, 2013) structure, which gives the material distinctive characteristics compared to conventional nano-carbon 4. Microbial FC Related Research Result materials. Gas and liquid can diffuse better via the A study group of University of East Anglia in the UK, pores. As well as being highly conductive and durable, in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National the product can support metal particles as a catalyst. Laboratory in the US, proved that proteins on the The firm expects the product to be a material surface of bacteria can produce an electric current by specifically for LIBs and FCs. With the high simply touching a mineral surface. A bacterium conductivity and porosity, the product is also “Shewanella oneidensis” is known to reduce poisonous considered to be used as a support for the catalyst of heavy metals, and a synthetic bacterium was made FCs and an agent to increase conductivity. Since a from the Shewanella oneidensis’s proteins thought to special process is included in the production at this shuttle electrons from the inside of the microbe to the stage, a further development is required to establish mineral. The group examined how well electrons the mass production technology for early travelled between an electron donor on the inside and commercialization. (The Chemical Daily, June 21, a mineral on the outside, and electric current was 2013; The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, June 24, 2013; generated by these proteins only touching the mineral Business Daily, June 25, 2013) surface. These bacteria are possibly used as miniature (4) Tokyo Institute of Technology factories on the surface of an electrode, where On June 25th, a research team led by Prof. Masatomo chemical reactions take place inside the cell using Yashima of the Department of Chemistry and electrical power supplied by the electrode through Materials Science of Tokyo Institute of Technology and these proteins. (The Nikkei Business Daily, June 27, Prof. John Kilner of Imperial College London, UK, 2013) revealed its result that the reason why a layered perovskite-type cobalt oxide “praseodymium barium 5. Experiments of Business Use FCs cobaltite PrBaCo2O5+δ” exhibited high oxide-ion (1) Tokyo Institute of Technology conductivity. They thoroughly investigated the crystal On July 2nd, the Tokyo Institute of Technology structure and space distribution of nuclear density of revealed that its “environmental energy innovation the perovskite-type cobalt oxide by methods including building” with 4,570 solar panels installed in neutron diffraction. The result shows that oxide ions Ookayama campus had saved annual ¥30 million of transfer through apical oxygen near praseodymium utility expense. The building nearly reached its initial and oxygen on cobalt-oxygen surface. A mixed target of “over 60% reduction in CO2 emission and conductor with layered perovskite-type structure was electricity self-sufficiency” with combined energy created, and its oxygen concentration was analyzed by saving facilities. The facilities are a 650 kW level thermogravimetric analysis. Also, the crystal power output photovoltaic generator, a 100 kW level structure and pathway of fast moving oxide ions were power output phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), a observed by neutron diffraction. The experiment desiccant air conditioner using FC’s waste heat and a made clear that a large amount of oxygen vacancy geothermal heat pump. Since July, the university has existed in apical oxygen near praseodymium in used an original smart grid developed in collaboration PrBaCo2O5+δ. Oxide ions transfer through the apical with NTT Data Customer Service, and a further oxygen near praseodymium and oxygen on energy saving is expected. (The Nikkan Kogyo cobalt-oxygen surface. By increasing the temperature Shimbun, The Denki Shimbun, The Nikkan Kensetsu from 595 to 1000 ºC, the space distribution of the Kogyo Shimbun, June 3, 2013) oxide ions expands as the temperature goes up. (2) Nissei Because an ion conductor with higher ion conductivity To make its FC commercialized, Nissei started a test can effectively take oxygen in from air, the material is of the emergency power source for traffic lights at

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“Aichi-Rinku New Energy Research Area” where new will introduce FCV into the US in 2015. Chief energy with advanced technologies are studied and executive officer James Lentz, who has been in charge experimented in Tokoname City of Aich Prefecture. of the North America region since reorganization in The FC system is jointly developed with the Japan April, revealed at a press conference on June 12th that Steel Works to be used as a backup power supply for “A first FCV sedan will be available in 2015 in the power cuts caused by disasters such as an earthquake. states”. The firm will accommodate environmental The system is composed of FC stacks, a control panel needs with the new products including plug-in hybrid and three hydrogen cylinders which allow it to operate vehicles (PHV) and EVs. (The Nikkei, June 13, 2013) continuously for eight hours. The system is (2) Grand Front Osaka approximately 80 kg lighter than a conventional An EV battle has started in “Grand Front Osaka” engine generator, which lets the FC be attached to the which is a commercial complex opened in April in pole of a traffic light. Aiming to introduce into the north of the JR Osaka Station. On June 12th, market by the end of the year, Nissei will investigate US-based Tesla Motors started its EV exhibition and how much damage salt causes to the system. The FC advertising test ride. Sedan EV “Model S” is displayed is planned to be applied to industrial vehicles as well until July 16th in a showroom that Panasonic opened as traffic lights, and the earnings of the FC business in Grand Front. Several thousand cylindrical LIBs by will be included in the management plan. The firm Panasonic are loaded on the EV. A venture EV will work out how to reduce production costs and developer Green Lord Motors, City, prepared a develop a new product to bring up the FC as a core booth in a technology exchange point “Knowledge product. (The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, July 4, 2013) Capital” of Grand Front, and displays its bright red EV “Tommykaira ZZ”. The firm plans to 6. Ene-Farm Business Plans produce 99 vehicles by order for FY 2013. The vehicle (1) Tokyo Gas will sell for ¥8 million before tax. (The Nikkei, June June 12th, Tokyo Gas announced that its Ene-Farm 13, 2013) accumulated sales reached 20,000 units since it (3) GM started the sales in May, 2009. Targeting at 12,000 US-based General Motors will release its first EV units for FY 2013, the firm tries to extend its sales “Spark EV” in June. The EV will be available in channel. (The Denki Shimbun, June 13, 2013; The California and Oregon where EVs are going stronger Chemical Daily, June 14, 2013; Dempa Shimbun, before moving onto the global market including South June 18, 2013) Korea. “This car represents a change for GM, and will (2) Ene-Farm Promotion Association be brought up to be a global product.” said the Senior An Ene-Farm promotion association “Enefarm Vice President of Global Product Development, Mary Partners” consisting of the FC production industry Barra. (The Nikkei, June 14, 2013) and natural and liquefied petroleum gas industry held (4) NTN its launching ceremony in Tokyo. The association will NTN, a major bearing producer, started an promote Ene-Farm. (The Saitama Shimbun, The experiment of an originally developed micro EV on Yamaguchi Shimbun, June 29, 2013; The Okinawa public roads. The EV will be provided to the commune Times, June 30, 2013) of Annecy, where their subsidiary is located, for one year from June to be driven in the area. The firm 7. Cutting Edge Technologies of FCV& EV developed a wheel hub motor, a motor is directly (1) Toyota Motor installed in a wheel, and the EV “TOO'in” uses the June 11th, Toyota Motor announced its concept car motor. The vehicle has small dimensions of 2.85 m “Camatte57s” would be displayed in the long and 1.42 m wide, and its maximum speed is 76 “International Tokyo Toy Show 2013”. The car is a km/h. The manufacturer plans to bring the next three-seater convertible EV, and can be dressed up by generation motor to be a core product for EVs. The changing 57 panels covering the body. (The Nikkei, experiment is to collect data and check quality and June 12, 2013) traveling performance on real roads for

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commercialization. (The Nikkei, June 16, 2013) regions take on board Japan’s proposal for (5) EV Japan international safety standards for FCV, and the Japan, which is established in United Nation (UN) recently revealed the final draft Toyonaka City in Osaka Prefecture by eight of safety standards which largely includes Japan’s automobile service providers together in the Kansai proposal. The working group of the UN will hold a area, developed a single-seater EV cart. With a 90 cm meeting in Geneva, Switzerland from June 24th to 29th, wide body, the EV can zip through narrow roads, and and the members including rising nations such as be recharged through a power socket at home. China and India are going to officially agree the draft Because a gasoline filling station is often quite a there. Japan set safety standards in 2005, which was distance for farmers in remote places, the vehicle is the first among the main countries. The negotiation more convenient than gasoline pickup trucks for them. was based on the proposal from the beginning. The The maximum speed is 15 km/h, and the vehicle proposed safety standards will cap hydrogen drives 30 km on a four to five hour charge with a concentration of 4% in the pipe to drain water from lead–acid battery. The EV will be available from FC on a vehicle, and impose on manufacturers to mid-July and its standard version will sell for install a system to stop the hydrogen supply once the ¥498,000. The firm targets at 100 vehicle sales for the concentration reaches 4% to avoid a potential first year. (The Nikkei, June 17, 2013) explosion. Also, fuel tanks must keep their shape after (6) Germany-Japan Battery Alliance for Eco Cars a cycle of being pressurized and depressurized 22,000 Germany-based Bosch, the largest automobile parts times as a durability test. Because the Japanese producer, major battery manufacturer GS Yuasa and standards are widely employed, Japanese automakers the Corporation will cooperate for batteries do not need to change the specifications for Japan to for EVs. The three firms will set up a joint company to export their FCVs. The Japanese government plans to develop and sell LIB in Stuttgart, Germany. GS help FCV technology innovation by deregulation. A Yuasa’s technology to improve cell performance and test drive on public roads requires an authorization precise battery output control technology of Bosch will from MLIT, and the application will be simplified, and be united to develop a new battery system to double its process will be shortened from eight weeks to six. the current driving range on a single charge to over (The Nikkei, June 23, 2013; The Mainichi 400 km to lead the industry with the growth strategy. , The , The Tokyo The production method will be developed by the end of Shimbun, Osaka Nichinichi Shimbun, The Kyoto 2017. The new firm is capitalized at approximately ¥5 Shimbun, The , Kanagawa Shimbun, billion, and the ratio is 50% from Bosch, 25% each The , The , The from GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi. (The Yomiuri , Kitanippon Shimbun, The Shimbun, The Nikkei, June 20, 2013; The Nikkei Shikoku Shimbun, Gifu Shimbun, The Shizuoka Business Daily, June 21, 2013) Shimbun, The Yamaguchi Shimbun, Kumamoto (7) Motor Nichinichi Shimbun, Miyazaki Nichinichi Shimbun, On June 21st, Nissan Motor revealed its racing car The Nagasaki Shimbun, The Saga Shimbun, Fukui “Nissan ZEOD RC” which can drive at 300 km/h Shimbun, Nihonkai Shimbun, The Kochi Shimbun, using its electric motor. The vehicle is displayed in the The Shinano , Oita Godo Shimbun, circuit for 24 Hours of Le Mans starting from 22nd, the Yamagata Shimbun, The Tokushima Shimbun, Fuji automaker aims to advertise its EV technologies that Sankei Business i, The Niigata Nippo, , it places as the core of eco car strategies. As well as The To-o Nippo Press, The San-in Chuo Shimpo, The LIB technology, the car has a gasoline engine on board Kahoku Shimpo, Akita Sakigake Shimpo, June 28, to charge the battery, and can drive the approximately 2013; Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, The Hokkoku 13 km circuit only on electricity which is charged by Shimbun, July 1, 2013; Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, engine drive. (The Nikkei, June 22, 2013) July8, 2013) (8) Safety Standards of FCV (9) Politician-Ministry-Business Workshop for FCV Japan, the US, EU and other 30 countries and Promotion

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On June 26th, auto giants including Toyota Motor, noting. (The , , Nissan Motor, and Motor, other businesses The Mainichi Newspapers, The Nikkei, The Sankei such as JX Nippon Oil & Energy, Iwatani and Shimbun, The Nikkei Business Daily, The Nikkan Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Liberal Democratic Kogyo Shimbun, Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, The Party of Japan started a workshop to develop policies ,The Chunichi Shimbun, Osaka regarding subsidy and tax benefits. To make Japanese Nichinichi Shimbun, The Kobe Shimbun, The Kyoto industries’ more competitive, the politician-ministry- Shimbun, Kanagawa Shimbun, The Nishinippon business group aims to create a market for FCVs that Shimbun, The Sanyo Shimbun, The San-in Chuo manufacturers are racing to develop worldwide. The Shimpo, The Yamaguchi Shimbun, The Chugoku workshop is named “Promotion Workshop to Realize a Shimbun, The Saitama Shimbun, The Hokkaido Hydrogen Society with FCVs as Core” A total of 30 Shimbun, The Ehime Shimbun, Gifu Shimbun, The politicians will participate in the workshop, and the , The Ibaraki Shimbun, The Saga president is , a member of the House of Shimbun, The Nagasaki Shimbun, The Tokushima Representatives. The workshop tries to increase its Shimbun, The Shikoku Shimbun, The Kochi members, and Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting works Shimbun, Fukui Shimbun, The Toyama Shimbun, as the secretariat. Sales price is an important key for Nihonkai Shimbun, The Hokkoku Shimbun, The FCV growth, and the group will work on subsidies Shinano Mainichi Shimbun,The Yamanashi and tax benefits to bring the price down to around ¥3 Nichinichi Shimbun, Miyazaki Nichinichi Shimbun, million, and encourage the government to include its Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, Kitanippon result in the tax system revision and budget. (The Shimbun, Minami-Nippon Shimbun, Oita Godo Nikkei, June 25, 2013; The Mainichi Newspapers, Shimbun, Jomo Shinbun, Shimotsuke Shimbun, The Nikkei Business Daily, The Nikkan Kogyo Yamagata Shimbun, Hochi Shimbun, Fuji Sankei Shimbun, Fuji Sankei Business i, June 27, 2013; Business i, Chiba Nippo, The Niigata Nippo, The To-o Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, June 28, 2013) Nippo, The Kahoku Shimpo, The San-in Chuo (10) Honda Motor Shimpo, Akita Sakigake Shimpo, The Ryukyu Shimpo, Honda Motor will form a partnership with US-based Fukushima-Minpo, , July 2 and 3, GM for FCV. The core system will be jointly developed 2013;Dempa Shimbun, The Chemical Daily, July 4, with their wealth of patents, and they aim to 2013) introduce FCV into the market with a price of ¥5 (11) NEXCO-West million by 2020. On July 2nd, Tetsuo Iwamura, a vice Installing 22 quick chargers on its roads including president of Honda, and Stephen Girsky, a vice the Meishin Expressway, the West Nippon chairman of GM announced the partnership. “GM Expressway (NEXCO-West) will activate 12 quick goes ahead in the knowledge of advanced materials, chargers for EVs in July. Remaining 10 chargers will and Honda has confidence in structure design and be available between August and the end of production.” explained Mr. Iwamura. They also September. These chargers will offer free charging at cooperate in hydrogen infrastructure preparation and the moment and operate around the clock. (The standardization; however, this agreement does not Nikkei, July 5, 2013) include capital alliance and joint production of cars. The automobile industry has been globally 8. Hydrogen Filling Station Related Technology restructuring due to a vast trove of development Developments & Business Plans expenses. Had been independent for the development, (1) Tokyo Gas Honda changed its strategy to compete with Toyota On June 21st, Tokyo Gas announced that hydrogen Motor and Nissan Motor. The race for the leading filling facilities for FCVs would be built at two places position in the FCV market will be dominated by in Nerima-ku, Tokyo, and Saitama City. Prior to these three auto giants. Since Germany-based VW FCV’s introduction to the market in 2015, the firm and South Korea-based Hyundai Motor have not will provide natural gas for natural gas vehicles and announced partnership, their movements are worth hydrogen in the same facilities. The constructions will

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start in Nerima-ku in July as well as this fall in new catalyst which assists oxygen production from Saitama City. The firm will receive subsidy from water using sunlight. The catalyst uses cheaper cobalt METI. On June 21st, the Next Generation Vehicle instead of commonly used ruthenium. A complex was Promotion Center selected a total of 19 hydrogen created with cobalt and a compound “porphyrin” in filling facilities including two of Tokyo Gas and 10 chlorophyll in plants combined. The complex was places of JX Nippon Oil & Energy for the subsidy. mixed in water with a coloring matter which captures (The Mainichi Newspapers, The Nikkei, June 22, light. By applying visible radiation, the mixture 2013; The Denki Shimbun, The Nikkan Kogyo successfully produced oxygen. Using cobalt is a Shimbun, The Saitama Shimbun, June 24, 2013; The significant cost saving with a value of approximately Nikkan Kensetsu Kogyo Shimbun, The Chemical ¥3,000/kg which is an eightieth of ruthenium worth Daily, June 27, 2013) ¥240,000/kg. Because the catalytic effect only last for (2) Orion Machinery approximately 20 minutes at this stage, the study Orion Machinery, Suzaka City, developed a group will research further to keep the effect longer. condenser for hydrogen filling stations. The condenser Electrons are released with the catalyst when oxygen prevents the temperature rise of hydrogen during is produced. This electron movement is thought to refilling process to improve safety. An experimental help another catalytic reaction by shedding light to station in Nagoya City installed the first condenser in produce hydrogen smoothly. By linking these May. With dimensions of 2.4 m wide, 3.6 m deep and 3 reactions, a commercial synthetic photosynthesis m high, the product is the largest condenser of the system will hopefully be developed to easily produce firm, which produces industrial condensers for hydrogen from water by applying sunlight. The team factories and plants. (The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun, aims for commercialization in five years. (The Nikkei June 15, 2013) Business Daily, June 24, 2013) (2) Okayama University 9. Hydrogen Production Business A study group of Prof. Jian-Ren Shen of the On June 11th, Iwatani announced that its joint Department of Biology at Okayama University corporation Yamaguchi Liquid Hydrogen, Osaka City, discovered that calcium promoted the water splitting with Tokuyama started its production at the liquid process during the photosynthesis of plants. This hydrogen plant in Shunan City, . finding should lead to establish a “synthetic This is the third liquid hydrogen plant for Iwatani. photosynthesis system technology” to produce large The plant was capitalized at ¥3.5 billion and has a amount of hydrogen at a lower cost. In a previous production capacity of 3,000 L/h. (The Nikkan Kogyo study, the group already confirmed that plants have Shimbun, The Nikkei Business Daily, The Chugoku an enzyme to split water. The enzyme consists of four Shimbun, June 12, 2012) manganese atoms, five oxygen atoms and one calcium Iwatani will double the production ability of the atom. Oxygen is known to attract manganese and liquid hydrogen plant in Shunan City to 6000 L/h by calcium, and manganese is recognized to extract FY 2015. The plant will be capitalized by electrons from water molecules. However, the function approximately ¥2 billion to install more liquefiers and of calcium was unknown. The group extracted the storage tanks. Because liquid hydrogen is expected to enzyme from chloroplasts of cyanobacteria, a type of be more demanded for industrial purpose and FCVs, algae, and replaced calcium in the enzyme with the firm will tool up the production and prepare for strontium which has similar properties to compare supply increase when other liquid hydrogen plants with the original enzyme. Both enzymes were exposed stop. (The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, June 17, 2013) to light for photosynthesis to investigate the speed of enzyme release per hour. The enzyme with strontium 10. Research on Hydrogen Production and Refining was a half of calcium. The both enzyme was exposed Technologies to a strong X-ray at SPring -8 for structural analysis. (1) Kyushu University Calcium in the enzyme bonds with water molecule for Prof. Ken Sakai at Kyushu University synthesized a photosynthesis. The distance between calcium and

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water molecule was 2.4 nm; on the other hand, polymer. Then, hexane and water were evaporated as strontium was 2.6 nm apart from water molecule. The reduction to make the catalyst. The catalyst was group concluded that calcium pulled water molecules tested with an ammonia compound “ammonia closer resulting in more effective photosynthesis. (The borane” which is expected to be a hydrogen storage Sanyo Shimbun, June 29, 2013) material to investigate the efficiency of its hydrogen extraction. The speed of hydrogen production was 11. Hydrogen Transport and Storage Technology twice of a conventional platinum catalyst. (The Nikkei Developments Business Daily, June, 27, 2013) (1) Chiyoda Corporation Chiyoda Corporation, Yokohama City, developed a 12. FC & Hydrogen Related Business Activities method whereby hydrogen stays liquid in a wide (1) E.ON, Germany temperature range between -95 and 100 ºC. The A major electric and gas utility service provider commercialized method liquefies hydrogen by bonding E.ON of Germany will fund startup companies with toluene, and then extracts hydrogen from the specialized in energy related businesses. As a start, liquid, which allows hydrogen to be transported in they capitalized two venture firms in waste heat normal temperature under normal pressure. generation and FC. E.ON has already capitalized “Hydrogen had been thought difficult to transport in US-based Bloom Energy which developed SOFC and bulk or to store long-term. However, we proved that commercially sold it for industrial use in the states. hydrogen can be transported and stored on a Also, E.ON is known to capitalize a US-based EV commercial basis.” the firm explains. Aiming to venture Tesla Motors. (The Nikkei Business Daily, diversify energy sources, they plans to mix hydrogen June 13, 2013) in natural gas and supply FCV with hydrogen. (The (2) Hydrogenics, Canada Tokyo Shimbun, June 25, 2013) Hydrogenics, a major FC producer of Canada, will On June 28th, Chiyoda Corporation signed a package move into the Japanese market with its new energy agreement with Kawasaki City. The agreement technology with hydrogen as the core. In Japan, they includes Chiyoda to have a base on the coastal areas will sell “Power to Gas” technology which uses surplus and supply plants with hydrogen in the area as well electricity from renewable energy to generate as constructing a power plant using hydrogen with hydrogen to be stored as a fuel for later use. Iwatani their method to provide and transport hydrogen in facilitates customer interface between Hydrogenics bulk. In August, the city will set up a “Kawasaki and the Japanese firms as partners. Hydrogenics has Coastal Area Hydrogen Network Council (provisional been negotiating with some companies to start a name)” with experts and businesses using hydrogen project next year at earliest. (The Chemical Daily, to help building a hydrogen supply network and June 26, 2013) preparing commercial hydrogen power plants. (The Tokyo Shimbun, June 29, 2013) ─ This edition is made up as of July 8, 2013― (2) AIST A study group of Dr. QiangXu, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), developed a catalyst which produces hydrogen at twice the speed of a conventional product. For the catalyst material, they focused on a “porous coordination polymer (PCP)” which has many 3 nm diameter pores on its surface. PCP was mixed in water and an organic solvent hexane, and 1.5 to 3 nm diameter platinum participles were added. Large amount of platinum particles fixed in the pores of the cubic structured

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