Honda Cars : Honda Introduces Solar Hydrogen Station on Saitama Prefectural Office Grounds | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

FCX Clarity Used in Electric Vehicle Testing Program to Serve as Mobile Electric Generator

TOKYO, Japan, March 27, 2012 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled a Solar Hydrogen Station on the grounds of the Saitama Prefectural Office. The initiative is part of the Electric Vehicle Testing Program for Honda’s next-generation personal mobility products with Saitama Prefecture, in which Honda, Iwatani and Saitama Prefecture collaborate to build. In a further initiative, Honda has equipped the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle with an outlet to function as a 9kW power source. Since the FCX Clarity uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce power with zero CO2 emissions, with its new outlet, the vehicle will be able to serve as a zero-emission mobile electric generator.

This is the first installation in Japan of a total system to produce, store and dispense hydrogen with ZERO CO2 emissions. A high pressure water electrolysis system, uniquely developed by Honda, produces hydrogen. With no mechanical compressor, the system is nearly silent and highly energy efficient. Using Solar and grid power, the system is capable of producing 1.5kg of hydrogen within 24 hours which enables an FCX Clarity to run approximately 150km or 90 miles. Honda aims to further develop the system to offer clean energy sources for the home in the future.

Source;

http://world.honda.com/news/2012/4120327Solar-Hydrogen-Station/index.html

Honda Cars : Honda working to address environmental challenges | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

By Masahiro Takedagawa, For The Calgary Herald

Based on our commitment to innovation and original technology creation, Honda is working to help address the world's environmental challenges, such as global climate change, emissions reduction and energy sustainability.

Honda is taking a comprehensive portfolio approach that involves advanced powertrain and energy technologies for the near and longer terms.

Honda's unique strategy also includes further improvements to gasoline-engine fuel efficiency, including the expanding use of gasoline-electric hybrid technology; the development of viable alternatives to gasoline, including compressed natural gas, non-food-based biofuels, electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered fuel-cell electric cars; and advanced energy production and distribution technologies including solar cells, co-generation systems and more efficient means of producing renewable biofuels.

IMPROVING FUEL EFFICIENCY

Ever since the company was founded, we have focused on meeting the mobility needs of our customers as well as concern for the environment, including leadership in fuel efficiency and emission-reduction technologies.

In the 1960s, Honda reinforced its commitment by establishing its Blue Skies for Our Children philosophy, and has maintained its position as a fuel-efficiency leader.

Honda is committed to further advancements in internal combustion engine efficiency, with a focus on the broad application of technologies such as VTEC and Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), and with the expanded application of pinnacle technologies such as Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system.

-As one of the most affordable hybrids available on the road today, the five-passenger Honda Insight, utilizes an interactive Ecological Drive Assist System to help enhance customers' fuel-efficient driving capabilities.

-Our new two-seat CR-Z sports hybrid expands Honda's line of hybrid vehicles by offering good fuel economy with sporty characteristics.

-Second-generation VCM technology is being used in theAccord V-6 sedan and coupe, Pilot SUV, Accord Crosstour and Odyssey minivan.

-Extensive use of advanced materials that improve fuel economy while allowing engineers to meet other critical targets such as vehicle safety.

REDUCING EMISSIONS

Honda has led all automakers in the introduction of vehicles that meet or exceed increasingly stringent exhaust emissions regulation:

-First gasoline-powered vehicles to meet American LEV, ULEV, SU-LEV, and AT-PZEV certifications.

-For model year 2011, all Honda and Acura vehicles meet or exceed Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards on an individual model basis, without the use of fleet averaging.

-Honda has been a leader in the application of overhead valve four-stroke engines to its power sports and power equipment product lines. All 2008 and newer Honda motorcycles, including competition models, and all Honda power equipment lines use OHV four-stroke engine technology.

FUEL-CELL TECHNOLOGY

Honda has paced the industry in the development and deployment of fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology as well as the refuelling infrastructure that will be required to take it to the mass market.

-Honda introduced the world's first production fuel-cell vehicle, the Honda FCX, in the U.S. and Japan in October 2002.

-Honda's FCX Clarity, the successor to the FCX, was the world's first purpose-built fuel-cell electric vehicle and the first to be manufactured on a dedicated production line.

-The FCX Clarity, with Honda's compact and efficient V Flow fuel-cell stack, achieves performance on par with a four-cylinder, five-passenger, gasoline-powered sedan but with three times the fuel efficiency.

CLEANER-ENERGY RESEARCH

Honda's efforts have gone beyond developing new vehicle technologies.
Honda has also focused its research and development resources on the creation of new sources of cleaner power.

-Solar cells: Honda-developed photovoltaic solar cells significantly reduce the energy and carbon-dioxide emissions in the manufacturing phase. Honda subsidiary Soltec Ltd. began mass production of Honda solar cells at its new Kumamoto, Japan, factory in October 2008. We will also be using these solar cells at our new Honda headquarters in Markham, Ont.

-Flexible fuel: Honda has developed a flexible-fuel system that enables engines to operate on either 100 per cent ethanol or a wide range of ethanol-gasoline fuel mixtures.

-Biofuel: To address the need for more efficient means of producing bio-ethanol in other areas of the world, Honda R&D and the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) are researching new technology to produce ethanol from soft-biomass, a renewable resource of plant-derived material.

There are numerous environmental challenges, and there are also numerous potential solutions to meet issues. That is why we have adopted a portfolio approach instead of only focusing on one specific technology.

In the near term, however, we believe optimum benefits will come from further advancements to fuel-efficient gasoline engines as well as gas-electric hybrid technology to help reduce our products' greenhouse gas emissions.

Source;

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Honda+working+address+environmental+challenges/3566242/story.html

Honda Cars : Honda Begins Operation of New Solar Hydrogen Station | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

01/27/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
Honda today 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.

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.

About Honda R&D Americas, Inc.Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) is responsible for creating advanced technologies and products in the U.S. that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers. HRA began R&D operations in the U.S. in 1975 with market research activities in California, and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 35 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development, as well as taking a leading role in the advancement of leading-edge safety and environmental technologies.

Today, Honda operates 15 major R&D facilities in the U.S. with more than 1,300 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets.

HRA's major centers include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier development; and a dynamic test facility in Ohio; and the North Carolina Center (Swepsonville, NC) responsible for power equipment R&D.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/5366

Honda Cars : Honda Soltec Begins Sales of Thin-Film Solar Cells for Public and Industrial Use | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Japan, October 23, 2008– Honda's wholly-owned solar cell subsidiary Honda Soltec Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto; President and CEO: Akio Kazusa) will begin sales throughout Japan of thin-film solar cells for public and industrial use on October 24, 2008. Having sold solar cells for home use since October 2007, Honda intends to expand its customer base by manufacturing and selling solar cells capable of the high-capacity electrical generation required by public and industrial facilities.

Using a thin film of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) to convert solar energy into electricity, the Honda-developed cells are environmentally responsible both in their manufacturing process and in use. With increased awareness of environmental issues, Honda is seeing growth in demand not only for private- but also public- and industrial-use solar cells and continues to strengthen its business foundation by expanding product line.

In addition, Honda's extensive experience in large-scale solar cell installations has prepared the company for the expansion of the product line to public and industrial uses. The following are examples of completed projects:


Honda Cars Automobile Dealership
A 9 kW solar cell system was installed as part of the upgrading and reopening of the Honda Cars Mito, Katsuta North automobile dealership in Ibaraki Prefecture. The system powers the showroom and office of the facility.

For the rest of the News Release;
http://world.honda.com/news/2008/c081023Thin-Film-Solar-Cells/