TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION and its subsidiary Woven Planet Holdings have created a prototype of their portable hydrogen cartridge. This cartridge design will facilitate the everyday transport and supply of hydrogen energy to power a wide variety of in- and out-of-home daily life applications. Toyota and Woven Planet will conduct Proof of Concept (PoC) trials in multiple locations, including Woven City, a future human-centered smart city currently under construction in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Toyota and Woven Planet are investigating several viable routes to carbon neutrality and view hydrogen as a promising alternative. Hydrogen has numerous benefits. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions are nonexistent when hydrogen is utilized. In addition, CO2 emissions are minimized during the hydrogen production process when renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass are used. Hydrogen can be used in fuel cell systems to generate electricity and also as a combustion fuel.
Toyota and Woven Planet are collaborating with ENEOS Corporation to develop a hydrogen-based supply chain that will expedite and simplify production, transportation, and daily use. These tests will concentrate on meeting the energy needs of the residents of Woven City and the surrounding communities.
Advantages of Hydrogen Cartridges
Portable, affordable, and convenient energy that makes it possible to transport hydrogen without the use of pipes to where people live and work.
Prototype measurements Length: 400 mm (16″) in length x 180 mm (7″)
Target weight 5 kg (11 lbs)
Interchangeable for simple replacement and rapid recharging
Volume flexibility enables a wide range of everyday applications*2
Small-scale infrastructure can meet energy demands in remote, non-electrified areas and can be rapidly deployed in the event of a natural disaster.
Continuation of the Hydrogen Cartridge
The majority of hydrogen produced today is derived from fossil fuels and used for industrial applications such as fertilizer production and petroleum refining. To use hydrogen as a source of energy in our homes and daily lives, the technology must meet various safety requirements and be adapted to new environments. We anticipate that in the future, hydrogen will be produced with extremely low carbon emissions and utilized in a wider range of applications. Toyota and its business partners are excited to offer cooperation and support as the Japanese government conducts a variety of studies to promote the safe early adoption of hydrogen.
They are attempting to make hydrogen a mainstream energy source by making it safe, convenient, and affordable. By establishing the underlying supply chain, they hope to facilitate the flow of a greater quantity of hydrogen and fuel an increased number of applications. Woven City will investigate and test a variety of energy applications utilizing hydrogen cartridges, including mobility, household applications, and many unforeseeable future possibilities. Together with inventors and residents of Woven City, they will continue to improve mobility over time by developing more practical applications for hydrogen cartridges. In future Woven City demonstrations, they will continue to improve the hydrogen cartridge’s usability and energy density by making it more user-friendly.
This project’s ultimate objective is to create a carbon-neutral society where everyone has access to clean energy, initially in Japan and then globally. Toyota and Woven Planet intend to develop best practices for incorporating clean hydrogen energy into daily life by conducting human-centered demonstrations within Woven City. These real-world experiences will teach us how to transform hydrogen into a well-known, popular, and cherished form of energy.
The portable hydrogen cartridge prototype will be displayed from June 3 to 5, 2022*3 at Super Taikyu Series 2022 Round 2 at Fuji Speedway. Their exhibit is designed to educate the public on the operation of hydrogen energy and inspire them to envision the countless ways in which hydrogen can be utilized in everyday life.