Honda has unveiled a Solar Hydrogen Station in the grounds of their Saitama Prefectural Office in Tokyo, Japan. The Station is part of an Electric Vehicle Testing Program that Honda is carrying out with the Municipal council of Saitama and Iwatani for individuals who wish to own an electric vehicle. In a further effort, Honda has equipped one of its own electric vehicles, the FCX Clarity (in the picture) with an outlet so it can function as a 9kW power source. Since the vehicle uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce power while emitting zero carbon dioxide, the outlet will be able to serve as a clean and mobile electric generator.
The system produced by the Asian automobile giants is the first in Japan to offer a way to produce, store and dispense hydrogen with no emissions of carbon dioxide. With no mechanical compressor, the system would be silent and energy efficient. A press release from Honda also says that using solar power; the ‘refilling’ system would be capable of producing 1.5kg of Hydrogen within 24 hours which would enable the FCX Clarity to run a distance of 90 miles. They also say that this is the first step as they aim to better the system in the future to offer a clean energy source for homes.