164 R. M. URIU
The 2014 Road Map also called for the deployment of stationary fuel
cell units for larger buildings such as stores, offices, hospitals, hotels,
and data centers. Since then Japanese firms such as Denso, Fuji Electric,
Kyocera, and Hitachi Zosen have introduced medium-sized units (around
5 kW), while Toshiba now offers a massive 100 kW system. The industry
has secured some promising deals at home, such as the 2017 announcement that Seven-Eleven Japan will use solar-powered CHPs for all its
stores. Demand for stationary fuel cells has also been growing internationally. Most notably, in October 2017 Microsoft announced that it would
install experimental fuel cells in its data centers worldwide, a significant
move because data centers worldwide “draw more than 1 percent of the
world’s electricity” (Day 2017). Some Japanese firms are moving to meet
this demand. Fuji Electric, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Aisin have all begun
to export, particularly to end users in Korea and Germany.
Decarbonizing the Transportation Sector. As the transportation sector
accounts for some 20% of total worldwide CO 2 emissions, decarbonizing
this sector is crucial (Hydrogen Council 2017, p. 30). There is a broad
consensus that this will eventually require replacing all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with some form of electric vehicle. A handful
of countries, from Norway to China, have begun restricting the sale of
ICE vehicles.
Of the two types of electric vehicles, the battery electric vehicle (BEV)
is the most well-known, and today accounts for most non-ICE vehicles
sold. Proponents of FCEVs, however, argue that BEVs suffer from two
major disadvantages. First, batteries are better suited for lighter vehicles
and for short-distance driving, whereas FCEVs enjoy a longer driving
range that can be more easily extended. Second, recharging BEVs is still
time-consuming compared to FCEVs, which can be refueled in a matter
of minutes.
Japan’s current industrial policy has continued to address the main
obstacles to wider adoption of FCEVs: increasing the number of
hydrogen refueling stations and providing incentives to consumers to buy
or lease an FCEV. These efforts date back to the FCCJ’s 2001 Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Framework, which was heavily influenced by Toyota and
other Japanese auto firms (Maeda 2003b, pp. 2, 8, and 9). 14 In addition to building the first HRS between Tokyo and Fukuoka, industrial
policy also sought to address public perceptions, including concerns for
the safety of hydrogen cars and stations.
The 2014 Road Map also called for the deployment of stationary fuel
cell units for larger buildings such as stores, offices, hospitals, hotels,
and data centers. Since then Japanese firms such as Denso, Fuji Electric,
Kyocera, and Hitachi Zosen have introduced medium-sized units (around
5 kW), while Toshiba now offers a massive 100 kW system. The industry
has secured some promising deals at home, such as the 2017 announcement that Seven-Eleven Japan will use solar-powered CHPs for all its
stores. Demand for stationary fuel cells has also been growing internationally. Most notably, in October 2017 Microsoft announced that it would
install experimental fuel cells in its data centers worldwide, a significant
move because data centers worldwide “draw more than 1 percent of the
world’s electricity” (Day 2017). Some Japanese firms are moving to meet
this demand. Fuji Electric, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Aisin have all begun
to export, particularly to end users in Korea and Germany.
Decarbonizing the Transportation Sector. As the transportation sector
accounts for some 20% of total worldwide CO 2 emissions, decarbonizing
this sector is crucial (Hydrogen Council 2017, p. 30). There is a broad
consensus that this will eventually require replacing all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with some form of electric vehicle. A handful
of countries, from Norway to China, have begun restricting the sale of
ICE vehicles.
Of the two types of electric vehicles, the battery electric vehicle (BEV)
is the most well-known, and today accounts for most non-ICE vehicles
sold. Proponents of FCEVs, however, argue that BEVs suffer from two
major disadvantages. First, batteries are better suited for lighter vehicles
and for short-distance driving, whereas FCEVs enjoy a longer driving
range that can be more easily extended. Second, recharging BEVs is still
time-consuming compared to FCEVs, which can be refueled in a matter
of minutes.
Japan’s current industrial policy has continued to address the main
obstacles to wider adoption of FCEVs: increasing the number of
hydrogen refueling stations and providing incentives to consumers to buy
or lease an FCEV. These efforts date back to the FCCJ’s 2001 Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Framework, which was heavily influenced by Toyota and
other Japanese auto firms (Maeda 2003b, pp. 2, 8, and 9). 14 In addition to building the first HRS between Tokyo and Fukuoka, industrial
policy also sought to address public perceptions, including concerns for
the safety of hydrogen cars and stations.