7 BETTING ON HYDROGEN: JAPAN’S GREEN INDUSTRIAL POLICY …
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structures. Japan has also made efforts to deploy fuels cells on a city-wide
basis.
Second, fuel cells can help decarbonize the transportation sector. Fuel
cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) convert stored hydrogen with ambient
oxygen to produce electricity to power a car’s motor, with water being
the only tailpipe emission. Major auto companies have introduced FCEVs,
and are beginning to challenge their cousin, the battery electric vehicle.
FCEVs show more promise in other transportation sectors that require
greater range or hauling capacity, including material handling, trucking,
ships, buses, and trains, as demonstrated by the recent introduction of
products worldwide.
A third crucial role for hydrogen fuel cells is as a storage medium,
which could help increase the use of renewable sources by the electrical
utilities. Because of the problem of intermittency (the sun is not always
shining), the utilities have been reluctant to rely too heavily on REN
sources. A greater capacity to store energy that could later be converted
to electricity should help alleviate these concerns. While there are many
competing alternatives, hydrogen has the advantage of being a nearly
indefinite storage medium that could be transported where needed.
Advocates argue that while there are alternatives to hydrogen in each
of these roles, hydrogen is unique in that it stands to make a substantial
contribution in all these realms. That is, hydrogen is described as being
flexible across the energy spectrum, and thus will necessarily be a part
of a renewable energy future. The only question for proponents is what
form the hydrogen economy will take, and how long it will be before it
is realized.
While the industry’s prospects seem clear and exciting, even the most
optimistic proponent recognizes that numerous technical and commercial
obstacles still exist. Like any new technology, hydrogen fuel cells are in a
race with other competing technologies. If not enough progress in overcoming obstacles is made, quickly enough, the industry’s future is by no
means guaranteed. That is, all realize that even the best technologies are
not always adopted.
Each fuel cell sector faces significant obstacles. Stationary and residential fuel cells are still costly to produce, and demand has not been
sustained in the absence of government subsidies. The main obstacles to
the wider adoption of passenger FCEVs are the still high cost of vehicles
and the scarcity of hydrogen refueling stations (HRS). These obstacles are
linked in that unless there are enough HRS, drivers will be reluctant to
151
structures. Japan has also made efforts to deploy fuels cells on a city-wide
basis.
Second, fuel cells can help decarbonize the transportation sector. Fuel
cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) convert stored hydrogen with ambient
oxygen to produce electricity to power a car’s motor, with water being
the only tailpipe emission. Major auto companies have introduced FCEVs,
and are beginning to challenge their cousin, the battery electric vehicle.
FCEVs show more promise in other transportation sectors that require
greater range or hauling capacity, including material handling, trucking,
ships, buses, and trains, as demonstrated by the recent introduction of
products worldwide.
A third crucial role for hydrogen fuel cells is as a storage medium,
which could help increase the use of renewable sources by the electrical
utilities. Because of the problem of intermittency (the sun is not always
shining), the utilities have been reluctant to rely too heavily on REN
sources. A greater capacity to store energy that could later be converted
to electricity should help alleviate these concerns. While there are many
competing alternatives, hydrogen has the advantage of being a nearly
indefinite storage medium that could be transported where needed.
Advocates argue that while there are alternatives to hydrogen in each
of these roles, hydrogen is unique in that it stands to make a substantial
contribution in all these realms. That is, hydrogen is described as being
flexible across the energy spectrum, and thus will necessarily be a part
of a renewable energy future. The only question for proponents is what
form the hydrogen economy will take, and how long it will be before it
is realized.
While the industry’s prospects seem clear and exciting, even the most
optimistic proponent recognizes that numerous technical and commercial
obstacles still exist. Like any new technology, hydrogen fuel cells are in a
race with other competing technologies. If not enough progress in overcoming obstacles is made, quickly enough, the industry’s future is by no
means guaranteed. That is, all realize that even the best technologies are
not always adopted.
Each fuel cell sector faces significant obstacles. Stationary and residential fuel cells are still costly to produce, and demand has not been
sustained in the absence of government subsidies. The main obstacles to
the wider adoption of passenger FCEVs are the still high cost of vehicles
and the scarcity of hydrogen refueling stations (HRS). These obstacles are
linked in that unless there are enough HRS, drivers will be reluctant to