Honda announced the introduction of the experimental Home Energy Station IV designed to provide fuel for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle. The Honda Home Energy Station IV uses the house’s existing natural gas supply for production of hydrogen, while providing heat and electricity to an average-size home.
Honda Press Release:
HONDA INTRODUCES EXPERIMENTAL HOME ENERGY STATION IV
Appliance-like device may help solve problem of hydrogen supply for fuel cell vehicles
Honda today announced that it has begun using the Home Energy Station IV at its Honda R&D Americas, Inc. facility in Torrance, California. This fourth-generation experimental unit is designed to provide fuel for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, as well as heat and electricity for a home. The new system is more compact and efficient, with a lower operating cost than previous models. The announcement coincides with the world debut of the all-new FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Honda’s Home Energy Station technology is designed to facilitate the broader adoption of zero-emissions fuel cell vehicles, like the FCX Clarity, by developing a home refuelling solution that makes efficient use of a home’s existing natural gas supply for production of hydrogen, while providing heat and electricity to an average-size home.
The Home Energy Station IV can reduce both cost and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the consumer. Compared to the average U.S. consumer’s home with grid-supplied electricity and a petrol-powered car, a home using Home Energy Station IV
to help produce heat and electricity and also to refuel an FCX Clarity can reduce CO2 emissions from electricity production by an estimated 30 per cent and electricity costs by an estimated 50 per cent.
“Honda is striving to address the need for a refuelling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,” said Ben Knight, vice president of Honda R&D Americas. “The Home Energy Station represents one promising solution to this issue, while offering the added benefit of heating and powering the home more efficiently.”
Working with technology partner, Plug Power, Inc., Honda began operation of a Home Energy Station in October, 2003. Home Energy Station IV represents the latest evolution of the technology with a 70 per cent reduction in size compared to the first unit, making it even more suitable for household installation. By combining gas purification and power generation components, overall size reduction and efficiency gains are achieved, while enabling it to switch from hydrogen refining to power generation when needed.
