Kyudai News No27 page 9/28

Description:
Kyudai News No27

The problem of global warming is escalating further witheach year that passes. If warming continues at its presentpace, we run the risk of increasingly frequent typhoons andother natural disasters, a decrease in land area due to risingsea levels, and the destruction of ecosystems and foodshortages due to extreme weather conditions. We need toreduce carbon dioxide emissions for the sake of our planet’sfuture. Accordingly, attention has focused on hydrogen asthe energy source of the future.Professor Sasaki, who has been involved inhydrogen energy research for many years, says,Japan is very advanced in the field of hydrogen energy.Ene-Farm home fuel cells went on sale in 2009, whilecommercial sales of the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) “MIRAI”began in December 2014. In 2017, large-scale fuel cells foroffice and factory use are due to become commerciallyavailable. One day, hydrogen energy will likely be used forbuses and other modes of public transport. Carbon dioxideis generated when hydrogen gas is made from fossil fuels,but fuel cells have a high generating efficiency, so they canreduce the amount of fuel required to generate the sameamount of electricity, ultimately enabling carbon dioxideemissions to be reduced.Professor Sasaki also talked about the need forhydrogen energy from an economic perspective.The annual cost of Japan’s energy imports is around 27trillion yen. 1% of the consumption tax that we pay onday-to-day purchases is 2.7 trillion yen, which means thatwe are paying ten times that amount each year to the foreigncountries that export energy to us. Furthermore, most of theheat generated as a by-product when our domestic powerplants generate electricity goes to waste. In the future, it willbe crucial to look at how we can reduce this waste ofenergy.World-LeadingEHydrogenEEnergyEResearchOurEMissionEasEaEUniversityEisEtoEContinuouslyEEGenerateEtheESeedsEofEENewEIdeasEinEtheEFieldEofEHydrogenEEnergyEandEOtherENewETechnologiesERealizing and Visualizing A Hydrogen SocietyFuel cell vehicle fordemonstrating mobilityInstallation of a water electrolyzer(In the hydrogen refueling station; includes hydrogen tanks and other ancillary equipment)Display monitorMIRAI’s LCD panel showing the energybalance while runningMIRAI does not produce any fumes thusemit nothing but water.●Generates power from renewable energy using solar cellsor wind turbines●Uses power generated from renewable energy toelectrolyze water, to create renewable hydrogen●FCVs are filled with the renewable hydrogen(zero-emission mobility)Energy visualization system(Installed in front of thehydrogen refueling station,visualizing the interior of thehydrogen refueling station andshowing the power generationstatus of the fuel cells inoperation)Refurbishment of the hydrogenrefueling station wind powergeneration network andconnection to a water electrolyzer(alternating current)Installation and connection of solarcells for manufacturing renewablehydrogen(Roof of the hydrogen refueling stationand roof of the HY30 building)8