Automotive Engineering - May 2023 - 36

HONDA'S
H2
PROGRESS
CASE VP Jay Joseph outlines dramatic cost
reductions in fuel-cell systems, the move
into stationary power, and new models for
mobile and residential energy.
by John Dinkel
I
s the long-promised " hydrogen economy " still 15 years away, as it
reportedly has been for... more than 15 years? Or is it just around
the corner? SAE Media traveled to Honda's U.S. campus in
Torrance, California, to see the company's latest progress. This
was the introduction of Honda's zero-emission stationary fuel-cell
power station, which now is in service as a backup power source for
the company's data center.
Honda's FCX was the the world's first production fuel-cell vehicle
when it debuted in 2002. Since then the company's hydrogen developments
have continued. Honda began collaborating on fuel-cell systems
in 2013 and the two OEMs share a fuel-cell manufacturing joint
venture. The Torrance event also presented the opportunity to speak
with Jay Joseph, Honda's VP of Connected, Autonomous, Shared and
Electrified (CASE) technologies. Our interview began with a focus on
the new fuel-cell power station, which repurposes fuel-cell stacks
from Honda Clarity FCVs and has an approximate generating capacity
of 500 kW. Highlights of our conversation follow.
Do the stacks eventually wear out, like batteries?
Part of what is going on inside the stack is a catalyst reaction. There
are seals that operate under pressure, so there is a wear component
over time.
Can the stacks be recycled?
Yes. It's expensive, but there are precious metals and other materials
used in the manufacturing of a fuel-cell stack and in theory all of that
material could be recovered. In practice, most of it can be recovered now
and we are working on pathways to make them 100% recyclable.
Stationary fuel-cell power is a secondary use for a good fuel cell, so if a
vehicle runs the course of its lease and there is some reason the vehicle
wouldn't continue in service, absolutely, we can take a good fuel cell
stack and put it into a stationary use. We actually did the hard part first.
36 May 2023
Honda CASE VP Jay Joseph unveils the new stationary hydrogen fuel
cell power station at the company's Torrance, California, campus.
How so?
Mobile use is much more complex than stationary use
because you have to make the cooling and everything
else compact. And the management system has to be
more compact so that it can fit into a mobile application
like a car. Working on a stationary system is much
easier because all the inputs can be controlled. We
actually did the hard part first. So, the Clarity fuel cells
are a very good system to apply in a stationary setup.
Could this technology be downsized for home use?
And not just for backup, but for primary power?
Yes, it could. For a typical U.S. home, 500 kW is probably
too much, even for peak energy demands, and
you would probably have a battery for offsetting peak
usage. But theoretically you could. This is a pretty big
system for a home. I think it would make more sense
for a neighborhood or a community. Theoretically it's
possible, but there is more work to be done to get
more energy out of a system like that to supply several
homes. The home would have to be relatively efficient
to begin with.
Even with a Tesla Battery Wall you can't power a
whole house for an extended period.
Yes. You're not necessarily home during the day when
you've got sunshine. And then you're still dependent
upon good weather and other factors. And when
you're home at night, there is no solar, so you're not
producing any energy. So, let's say that 40 to 50
years from now, it probably would not be one solution
but multiple overlapping solutions that would provide
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
DINKEL
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