The Hydrogen Infrastructure Myth is Dead!

Honda has done what we have been advocating for several years.
The need to wait for a re-piping of the petroleum infrastructure with a Hydrogen system is a Myth, propegated by those who do not want to move to new fuel sources.
The Electrical Grid is in place and can be the distribution network for Hydrogen transportation refueling.  Keep in mind that Hydrogen is not the fuel source, only the conveyance of energy.  So the true source is what we power your electrical grid with.  In the ideal case Wind and Solar!
We love that Honda has taken the compressor out of the equation.
The only thing left for us to do is get Honda to Sell them, both the Solar H2 Station and the H2 Clarity.  It may take an Act of Congress to get them to begin selling the vehicle to the public.  The Marketing Campaign and disinformation efforts of the Petroleum industry are never-ending.  Remember the Zero Emissions Vehicle Legislation mandate in California in the year 2000, that's what we need to do nationally to motivated Auto-makers to Sell Green Vehicles to the public. 

Article 1 - Corporate Press Release

CorporateJanuary 27, 2010

Honda Begins Operation of New Solar Hydrogen Station Los Angeles-based Station to Re-fuel Honda Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

TORRANCE, Calif, U.S.A., January 27, 2010 - Honda began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles. Honda's Next Generation Solar Hydrogen Station Prototype Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user's garage, Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle. The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyzer and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure electrolyzer, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor entirely - a world's first for a home use system. This innovation also reduces the size of other key components to make the new station the world's most compact system, while improving system efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar hydrogen station system it replaces. Compatible with a "Smart Grid" energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO2 emissions by using less expensive off-peak electrical power. During daytime peak power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining energy neutral. Designed for simple, user-friendly operation, the intuitive system layout enables the user to easily lift and remove the fuel hose, with no hose coiling when the hose is returned to the dispenser unit. Engineered for an 8-hour, slow fill for overnight refilling of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the home-use Solar Hydrogen Station would replenish the hydrogen for a typical daily driving, meeting the commuting requirements of many drivers. As with the previous generation system, the hydrogen purity from the new station meets the highest SAE (J2719) and ISO (14687) specifications. Installed at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, the new Solar Hydrogen Station will employ the same 48-panel, 6.0kW solar array that powered the previous system. The array utilizes thin film solar cells composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) produced by Honda Soltec Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda that was established for the mass production and sales of solar cells capable of efficient renewable electricity generation. Honda's unique solar cells reduce the amount of CO2 generated during production as compared to conventional solar cells. Designed to support the needs of the future owners of fuel cell electric vehicles, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station was also designed to complement a public network of fast fill hydrogen stations. The Honda FCX Clarity electric vehicle is fast fill capable and offers an EPA-estimated driving range of 240 miles. With fast fill public stations providing 5-minute fueling time for longer trips, and the opportunity of convenient nighttime slow filling at home using a solar station with a Smart Grid connection, the Honda FCX Clarity can cover a wide range of driving demands from the daily commute to weekend trips. A key strategy in creating a solar hydrogen station for home-use was to create a new lifestyle with convenient, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable home refueling, by addressing the need for refueling infrastructure that can advance the wider use of fuel cell electric vehicles by consumers. The combination of a fuel cell electric vehicle and the solar hydrogen station could help lead to the establishment of a hydrogen society based on renewable energy, resulting in a major reduction of CO2 emissions and greater energy sustainability. Honda began operation of its first Solar Hydrogen Station at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas in 2001: July 2001: 3-unit system with hydrogen storage begins operation. • October 2003: new 2-unit system with an original Honda electrolyzer and a new solar array utilizing prototype Honda CIGS solar cells offers improved system efficiency. • August 2008: solar array fitted with mass production CIGS cells from Honda Soltec Co., reducing the size of the array by 20% and further improving photo voltaic (PV) energy efficiency. • January 2010: new single-unit station begins operation, improving to world's best system efficiency - increasing the efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the previous solar hydrogen station system, for a world's highest system efficiency.

Related Links · Honda in U.S.A. · Honda R&D Americas, Inc. · Honda Worldwide | FCX Clarity · Honda Worldwide | Solar Hydrogen Station

Article 2

Fuel Cell > FCX > Hydrogen Station

	In addition to a solar cell-powered hydrogen refueling station, Honda is operating an experimental Home Energy Station that generates hydrogen from natural gas for use in fuel cell vehicles while supplying electricity and hot water to the home as part of its ongoing research into development of hydrogen production and supply systems for a hydrogen-based society of the future.
	Honda has long been conducting research into hydrogen production and supply systems for a hydrogen-based society of the future. At the solar-powered water electrolyzing hydrogen station that has been operating on an experimental basis since 2001 at Honda R&D Americas in Torrance, California, employment of Honda’s water electrolyzing module, which boasts world-leading efficiency, as well as next-generation solar cell panels made by Honda Engineering, has further improved hydrogen production efficiency and greatly reduced CO2 emissions during system manufacturing. In 2003 Honda established an experimental Home Energy Station that generates hydrogen from natural gas for use in fuel cell vehicles, while supplying electricity and hot water to the home through fuel cell cogeneration functions. In November 2004, in collaboration with Plug Power Inc. of the US, Honda began operating a second-generation Home Energy Station, which unifies natural gas reformer and pressurizing units into one compact component to reduce the overall volume by approximately 50%. Honda is continuing its efforts to develop systems required for a hydrogen-based society of the future through experiments with various hydrogen production and usage systems.
	Schematic of a solar-powered water electrolyzing hydrogen station
	Outline of a solar-powered water electrolyzing hydrogen station Location: Honda R&D Americas research facility in Los Angeles System configuration: Solar battery, electric converter, electrolyzing system, compressor, pressurized hydrogen tank Hydrogen production capacity: In conjunction with commercial electric power: Max. 2Nm3/h*; Solar power only: Max. 1.2Nm3/h* Hydrogen storage capacity: 400L (350 atm)
	Schematic of Home Energy Station
	Outline of Home Energy Station Location: Plug Power Inc. headquarters (New York) System configuration: Reformer, refiner, fuel cells, compressor, high-pressure storage tank Hydrogen production capacity: Maximum 2Nm3/h* Hydrogen storage capacity: 132L Power generation capacity: Over 4kW
	* N = standard conditions at 0ºC, 1 atm

Article 3
February 4, 2010, 1:51 pm

Honda Opens New Solar Hydrogen Station in California

By JIM MOTAVALLI

Honda’s solar hydrogen station in California.

When it comes time to refuel Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel-cell car with hydrogen, the company is letting the sun shine in.
Last week, Honda announced that it had begun operating a “next generation” solar hydrogen refueling station, using Honda’s own solar cells, at its Torrance research and development headquarters.
The new solar station is small enough to fit into a Clarity owner’s garage, and that’s its intended home. “We’ve eliminated the compressor, which was the largest and most expensive component,” said a Honda spokesman, Chris Naughton. “The station pulls in solar energy during the day and then the customer can slow-fill with hydrogen over an eight-hour period at night.”
Honda claims that its smaller station is the world’s most compact, as well as the first home unit without a compressor.
The station uses 48 panels of thin-film Honda-developed cells to produce six kilowatts of electricity. It’s designed to complement the network of public stations that California has endeavored to create as part of its “Hydrogen Highway,” but which in practice is developing slowly.

Honda’s Soltec panels are also being used by Dongfeng Honda in China, the company said, providing lighting and air-conditioning at an administrative facility. According to Honda, the Chinese panels are capable of generating 100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, and can displace 101 tons of carbon dioxide.
According to Patrick Serfass, a spokesman for the National Hydrogen Association, “One of the benefits of hydrogen is that it can be made from a variety of different sources, including both renewable and traditional fuels. We applaud Honda for producing hydrogen renewably. At this point, fossil fuels are still very cheap, so it takes a commitment to advance the installation of renewable energy.”