TOKYO, Dec 25, 2023 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda), Tokuyama Corporation (Tokuyama), and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) (“Project Members”) will conduct a joint demonstration to operate a data center using by-product hydrogen and a stationary fuel cell (FC) power station designed to reuse FC systems from fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). (“Demonstration Project”).

This Demonstration Project was proposed to and adopted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as one of the projects for the “Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society / Development of Technologies for Regional Hydrogen Utilization.”

This Demonstration Project will be conducted in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan using by-product hydrogen produced by Tokuyama's salt water electrolysis business to supply electricity to a distributed data center operated by MC from a stationary fuel cell power station that Honda will develop based on the assumption of reusing fuel cells from FCEVs.

Project Members will explore the potential of reusing automotive FC systems in a stationary application. The objective of the Demonstration Project is to reduce the economic burden on customers installing and operating stationary FC systems, which will contribute to the decarbonization of the electric power.

A further increase in power demand for data centers is expected in the long run due to the advancement of technologies that require large-volume data processing, such as generative AI and automated driving. In the face of this market environment, by utilizing by-product hydrogen and FCs to power distributed data centers, the Project Members aim to facilitate the decarbonization of data centers and the digital transformation of municipalities and local businesses.

Based on the knowledge gained from this Demonstration Project, the Project Members will look into the feasibility of the installation and expansion of data centers using clean power in the region, as well as explore further business opportunities both inside and outside Japan.

Overview of the joint demonstration

The official title of the Demonstration Project:

Decarbonizing data centers using by-product hydrogen and a stationary FC power station reusing fuel cell systems from vehicle applications

Points of Demonstration:

- Verify the use of fuel cells in 1) primary and backup power sources for data centers; and 2) grid-balancing (Balancing Market)
- Verify the economics and feasibility of integrated hydrogen business models operating fuel cells and supplying hydrogen.

Demonstration period:

From the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 through the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.

For more information, visit www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2023/html/0000052615.html 

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