Honda to install stationary fuel cell power station on California campus as first step toward commercialization of zero-emission backup power generation
15 March 2022
Honda plans to install a stationary fuel cell power station on its corporate campus in Torrance, Calif. by early 2023. The station will serve as a proof of concept for the future commercialization of a power generation unit for use as a zero-emission backup power source for facilities such as data centers, which require reliable and clean auxiliary power generation to continue operations even in emergency situations.
This new initiative will leverage Honda’s fuel cell technology expertise as part of the company’s global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050.
Honda's proof of concept fuel cell power station will utilize fuel cell components from Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles in a flexible, four-quad parallel stationary fuel cell power generation system capable of generating up to 1152kW-DC/1MW-AC from an inverter. A unique advantage of the four-quad design is the flexibility to change the layout of the four individual fuel cell units to suit the installation environment, accommodating a cuboid, L-shape, Z shape or other packaging requirements.
Preliminary System Specifications
| Output | 1 Quad Unit | 288 kW-DC |
| 4 Quad Unit Combined | 1152 kW-DC | |
| Inverter | 1200 KVA 240/480 V with Transformer | |
| Dimensions | Power Plant (4X Quads + Accessories) | L 1100 cm x W 230cm x H 250 cm, footprint 25.3 m2 Approx. 3.6 ft x 7.5 ft x 8.2 ft, footprint 83 ft2 |
| Quad unit | 260 cm X 230cm x250 cm Approx 8.5 ft x 7.5 ft x 8.2 ft |
|
| Mass | Power Plant (4X Quads + Accessories) | 10,625 kg Est. 23,424 lb |
| Quad | 850 kg Est. 1,873 lb | |
| Hydrogen | Liquid/Gas | ISO14687-2 5-12 bar(g) |
| Cooling | External Cooling Tower | 1750 kW (500ton), > 2 Bar, >3785 lpm, 480 V, 260 A |
| Function | Data Acquisition/Remote Monitoring/Over the Air Update | Wireless 4G, Onboard SSD |
| Waterproof | NEMA 3 | |
| Ventilation | IEC 62282-3 | |
| Safety Monitor | Smoke, H2, Temp, Current, Voltage, Isolation Monitor, Cabin Pressure | |
| E-Stop | Plant, Cooling Tower, Grid Inverter | |
| Code/Standards | NFPA 853, IEC 62282, NFPA 55, UL 1741 (grid inverter) |
The station will be connected to the data center on the American Honda campus in early 2023, providing a real-world power generation application to verify performance. This will enable Honda to advance its know-how in the power supply area, as well as supply chain development, grid connection access, construction specifications, AC/DC connection requirements and other critical areas.
While Honda remains committed to developing fuel cell systems for passenger vehicles, the market for fuel cell systems to power larger trucks and transport ships, as well as stationary generation, is expanding rapidly in the US and is expected to grow to more than $86.7 billion annually by 2030. Data centers in particular require high-quality and reliable power, where any disruption in power supply can lead to downtime or problems such as data corruption and damage to servers.
Typical stationary backup generators rely on diesel fuel, which result in higher carbon emissions and local air pollutants. Backup power systems utilizing hydrogen fuel cells offer a promising future for clean, yet reliable and high-quality power generation, especially when operating on green hydrogen made from renewable sources.
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