Toyota Motor and its subsidiary Woven Planet Holdings developed a working prototype of a portable hydrogen cartridge that will facilitate the daily transport and supply of hydrogen energy to power a wide range of everyday applications in and out of the home.
Toyota and Woven Planet will test Proof of Concept (“PoC”) at various locations, including Woven City, the future smart city currently under construction in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Toyota and Woven Planet are exploring many viable paths to carbon neutrality and see hydrogen as a promising solution. Hydrogen has significant advantages.
When using hydrogen, no carbon dioxide is released, and in addition, when hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal energy, and biomass, CO2 emissions are also minimized during the production process. Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity in fuel cell systems and also as a fuel for combustion.
Together with ENEOS Corporation, Toyota and Woven Planet are working to create an end-to-end hydrogen-powered supply chain to make production, transportation, and everyday use faster and easier. These trials will focus on meeting the energy needs of Woven City residents and nearby communities.
Today, most hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels and used for industrial purposes such as fertilizer production and oil refining. To use hydrogen as an energy source in homes and everyday life, the technology must meet various safety standards and adapt to new conditions.
“We expect hydrogen to be produced with very low carbon emissions in the future and used in a wider range of applications. The Japanese government is working on several studies to promote the safe early adoption of hydrogen, and Toyota and its business partners are pleased to offer cooperation and support,” Toyota said.
The ultimate goal of this project is to create a carbon-neutral society where everyone can have access to clean energy, first in Japan and then around the world.
Toyota and Woven Planet are committed to developing cutting-edge methods for introducing clean hydrogen energy into everyday life through human-centered demonstrations in and around Woven City.
The portable hydrogen cartridge prototype will be displayed at the Super Taikyu Series 2022 Round 2 at Fuji SpeedWay from June 3rd to 5th, 2022.