Seven-Eleven Japan and Toyota introducing fuel cell trucks and fuel cell power generators for studies on CO2 reduction
09 August 2017
Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation have concluded a basic agreement for studies on energy conservation and CO2 emissions reduction in convenience store distribution and operation. The two companies aim to contribute to the realization of a low-carbon and hydrogen-based society in the future, by way of introducing vehicles and power generators to be newly developed by Toyota that use hydrogen.
Fuel cell trucks, in which the refrigeration/freezer unit, and the truck itself, are powered by fuel cells, will be introduced as refrigerator/freezer trucks for stores with the goal of reducing CO2 emissions.
For the stores, an energy management system, combining already-installed solar power generators hydrogen systems will be introduced to enable greater energy conservation and CO2 emissions reduction.
Under consideration is the utilization of a fuel cell power generator as a power source at stores with hydrogen stations. The stationary hydrogen generator would utilize an automotive fuel cell unit.
A stationary rechargeable battery system which uses rechargeable automobile batteries will be introduced to stores and may be used as an emergency power source during disasters, in addition to possible applications for energy conservation and CO2 emissions reduction.
Food trucks are one of the best early markets for fuel cell vehicles, as currently diesels have to be kept running to do the refrigeration, resulting in large amount of pollution.
So fuel cells either as AP units or more ambitiously powering the truck as well provide an excelling zero pollution at point of use solution to this.
Walmart is also steadily increasing its investment in fuel cell and hydrogen technology, with its very large fuel cell fork lift truck fleets providing obvious synergies with other uses for this established hydrogen infrastructure.
Posted by: Davemart | 09 August 2017 at 05:07 AM
Excellent use of FCs in both refrigerated trucks and as fixed FC for stores.
Seven eleven stores (and others) could install clean H2 stations for delivery trucks + customers + stores.
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 August 2017 at 08:42 AM
Some might say it will never work, too expensive while never providing any solutions of their own. Hydrogen and biofuels will have a place in future energy. In fact we can reform cellulose ethanol on the vehicle for PEM cells and skip the compression.
Posted by: SJC | 09 August 2017 at 11:24 AM
Doesn't make sense to use FCs from a cost and pollution standpoint, unless the hydrogen is created from clean energy and not from the current expensive method of reforming (burning the carbon in the air) fossil fuels.
Posted by: Lad | 09 August 2017 at 03:09 PM
What burning carbon in the air reforming? Reforming is oxidation not combustion, when you reform ethanol the CO2 is not fossil.
Posted by: SJC | 09 August 2017 at 05:49 PM
Lad:
By your argument it makes no sense to use batteries in cars either, unless the electricity is from 100% renewables.
You make the perfect the enemy of the good.
Real progress in the real world is incremental, you can't do everything at once.
Posted by: Davemart | 09 August 2017 at 11:49 PM