Honda Home-in on a Solution for the Shortage of Hydrogen

How strange to be talking about the shortage of hydrogen! This is one of the few elements in almost limitless abundance on our planet,though it's more often found as a part of water. But for the upcoming generation of hydrogen cars having a ready supply of the gas in the right places for re-fuelling is of course essential if elusive.The demand for a gas distribution system is new. Honda with a vested interest in this are working hard to provide the solution.

The home ,it seems, is where the answer lies. Honda are experimenting with a home generation kit ,which will also avoid the need to use electricity grid supply for the home heating and other domestic use. Natural gas is used in the Home Energy Station IV to generate the fuel both for the hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle and domestic heat and light requirements.

This fourth-generation unit is being 'road tested' in California and

“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.”

So here we are looking at a solution that can reduce CO2 emissions by 30% and save energy costs by 50% for the homeowner who switches from using conventional grid supply and driving a petrol-powered car. Honda claims the current unit, over the first unit produced for test in 2003, is 70% more compact making it a feasible proposition for installation as a dometic appliance.

As usual we shall continue to watch these groundbreaking developments as they move ,hopefully,from the experimental testbed into the home.

All we need now is the commercially produced hydrogen-powered car to take advantage of the refuelling lifeline.More of this tomorrow with the all-new FCX Clarity which had its debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show.