The portable hydrogen cartridge prototype
Japanese mobility group Toyota and its subsidiary Woven Planet have developed a working prototype of a portable hydrogen cartridge.
This cartridge design is set to facilitate the everyday transport and supply of hydrogen energy to power a broad range of daily life applications in and outside of the home.
Toyota and Woven Planet will conduct proof-of-concept trials in various places, including Woven City, a human-centered ‘smart city of the future’ currently being constructed in Shizuoka Prefecture, in Japan.
Toyota believes hydrogen cartridges offer numerous benefits.
They are portable (5 kg in weight), affordable and convenient as they make it possible to bring hydrogen to where people live, work and play without the use of pipes, and they are also swappable for easy replacement and quick recharging.
The small-scale infrastructure associated with the cartridges can also meet energy needs in remote and non-electrified areas, as well as during disasters.
Toyota notes that hydrogen is currently largely generated from fossil fuels and used for industrial purposes such as fertiliser production and petroleum refining.
“To use hydrogen as an energy source in our homes and daily life, the technology must meet different safety standards and be adjusted to new environments.
“In the future, we expect hydrogen that will be generated with very low carbon emissions and used in a wider variety of applications. The Japanese government is working on a range of studies to promote the safe, early adoption of hydrogen and Toyota and its business partners are excited to offer their cooperation and support.
“Our goal is to help hydrogen become commonplace by making this clean form of energy safe, convenient and affordable,” says the vehicle manufacturer.
“By establishing the underlying supply chain, we hope to facilitate the flow of a larger volume of hydrogen and fuel more applications.
“Woven City will explore and test an array of energy applications using hydrogen cartridges, including mobility, household applications, and many future possibilities we have yet to imagine.”