Toshiba develops portable solar-powered hydrogen system for use in fuel cells

[nationalize the fed]

Portable Solar Hydrogen Fuel Cell Module -Credit: Toshiba Corp.

Toshiba Corp. has developed an energy supply system that may be the ultimate in eco-friendliness because it uses only sunlight and water, with no carbon dioxide emissions, to produce hydrogen.

Moreover, the system has a portable component that allows it to be transported to disaster-hit areas where normal utilities may not be operating.

The system involves using solar power to generate electricity, which is used to electrolyze water to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen can be stored in tanks and used in fuel cells to generate electricity and heat water during emergencies.

"Once the technology progresses further, we will be able to apply it to storage batteries for large-scale solar generation facilities (that can only generate power during the day) and hydrogen stations to refuel fuel-cell vehicles," said company President Hisao Tanaka.

Toshiba plans to begin selling the system in fiscal 2015...

Complete article: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/business/AJ201411140077

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The light at the end of the tunnel is a Hydrogen Powered Freight Train
And it's speeding...



Oh, and speaking of trains...


Europe: Fuel cells to power regional trainsets
24 September 2014 Railway Gazette

GERMANY: Alstom Transport hopes to have 40 fuel cell-powered regional trains in commercial service on regional lines in Germany by 2020 under an accord signed at the InnoTrans trade show in Berlin on September 24.

Under the letters of intent signed between Alstom, the Länder of Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Baden-Württemberg and the transport authority of Hesse, two prototype trains are to be developed by the end of 2018 for revenue service trials using modified Coradia Lint multiple-units. The powertrain will use hydrogen fuel cells, batteries and energy storage systems to replace a roof-mounted diesel powerpack, giving equivalent performance to an electric multiple-unit...
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/fuel-cells-to-power-regional-trainsets.html

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"'Other people... see things and say why? But I dream things that never were and I say, why not?"
-- John F. Kennedy

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

[Fumesucker]

1. A fuel cell may make sense in a locomotive although I note they also need batteries

But for cars fuel cells are largely a push by the "pay us for fuel at the filling station" crowd to remain relevant in world where plugging your car in overnight is becoming ever more common.

I rode in electric buses over fifty years ago, they were quiet, efficient and remarkably quick, noticeably faster than diesel or cng buses are today.

[yellowcanine]

2. JFK was quoting George Bernard Shaw when he said, "Other people......and I say, why not?"