When Tesla unveiled the semi-trailer Semi at a time last month, Musk appeared to be sarcastically attacking Toyota's Project Portal hydrogen-powered truck that started operation in the Port of Los Angeles, which Toyota is not convinced of for now.
Toyota Motors North America (TMNA), a Toyota Motor Company North American company, announced on December 6 that it will build a 'Tri-Gen' hydrogen fuel plant project with FuelCell Energy, a fuel cell power generation company, in Long Beach, California. Construction plans to start construction in 2018, put into operation around 2020.
Hydrogen refueling stations and megawatt-scale FC power plants at the same time building the world's first attempt to project.
Tri-Gen technology is a joint venture between FuelCell Energy and government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Department of Atmospheric Resources (CARB), the California Southern Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and the University of California, Irvine, which specializes in fuel cell technologies project.
Toyota will work with FuelCell Energy to promote the commercialization of Tri-Gen in order to establish a mechanism for efficient use of hydrogen, electricity and water. Toyota will not only promote the use of FC technology to realize Hydrogen society, but also promote hydrogen energy The related infrastructure will also contribute to achieving the environmental goals of the CEC, CARB and AQMD, which are committed to improving the air quality in the port area.
Tri-Gen generates about 2.35 megawatts of power a day, equivalent to an average daily energy consumption of about 2,350 homes in the United States, while producing about 1.2 tons of hydrogen, equivalent to an average daily driving distance of about 1,500 fuel cell vehicles The required charge of hydrogen.
The Tri-Gen project supplies part of the electricity and water to the Long Beach division of Toyota Logistics Service, which is responsible for Toyota's logistics operations in North America, which is Toyota's first facility in North America that uses only renewable energy and supplies hydrogen imports to Long Beach Fuel cell car 'MIRAI' was used in front of the store and in the FC van that conducted an empirical test in the port area of Long Beach in October this year.
It is noteworthy that Tri-Gen projects will extract hydrogen from livestock waste and sludge-like biomass in California livestock farms and use 'molten carbonate fuel cells' (using molten carbonate as electrolyte , Is a high-temperature type fuel cell that can operate at 600-700 ° C and generates power for household and automotive use using a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell operating at about 80 ° C) Renewable energy generates hydrogen, electricity and water, including water that is emitted during FC power generation.
Doug Murtha, Group Vice President for Strategic Planning at TMNA, said: 'Toyota sees great potential for reducing atmospheric pollutants and improving air from hydrogen, and has been developing FC technology for more than two decades. Tri-Gen is a global leader in sustainable development A major step forward in the automotive community will be one of the key initiatives of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which seeks to achieve zero CO2 emissions for all business activities. "
It is reported that California now has a total of 31 hydrogen refueling station put into operation, Toyota announced in September this year, with Shell, Honda to set up a new hydrogen refueling station in northern California 7, is committed to working with energy companies and other industries and government agencies to expand cooperation Hydrogen station network.
However, when Toyota announced its electric semi-trailer Semi last month, Musk appeared to be sarcastically attacking Toyota's Project Portal hydrogen-powered truck that started operation in the port of Los Angeles.
Because hydrogen is rich in earth's reserves and high in energy, it is attractive as a clean fuel and many car makers have been testing hydrogen-powered vehicles earlier.
As early as 2008, Honda officially launched the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. In the first quarter of 2016, the new Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with long battery life and advanced technology was launched in Japan and started in the United States in December the same year deliver.
General Motors has also accumulated millions of miles of actual fuel cell vehicle road mileage. In 2016, GM and the US Army's Army Tank and Auto Vehicle Research Center co-developed the Chevrolet new hydrogen fuel cell pickup concept car --Colorado (Colorado) ZH2, its production version of the model will serve as the US military car.
In addition to Toyota, GM and Honda, more and more car companies around the world have also joined the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell products, including Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler Group and Hyundai-Kia Group, etc. It is estimated that by 2027, the market will be at least 17 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles added.
China SAIC Chase also released the first SAIC Chase FCV80 fuel cell car at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Although the construction of the hydrogen refueling station in China is subject to various factors, the state has a fairly high subsidy policy for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that meet the national standards. The price of 1.3 million yuan SAIC Chase FCV80 fuel cell vehicles, the state subsidies up to 500,000 yuan.
In contrast, although fuel cells can generate electricity through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, they eventually produce water as a by-product. However, as the key issue of industrialization is to further establish production lines and reduce costs, Constraints on Construction Many car manufacturers prioritize battery-powered vehicles in the short term.
However, in order to promote the hydrogen fuel landing, but also the need to achieve mass production of key materials to improve reliability and durability of fuel cell stacks and systems to speed up the automotive fuel cell system with 70MPa hydrogen cylinders and air compressor R & D and add Hydrogen station construction, accelerate the development of sedan fuel cell technology, strengthen the demonstration and operation of the vehicle.
On the 21st of last month, Weichai Power signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Bosch, both of whom jointly worked together to develop and produce hydrogen fuel cells and related components.