Japanese Premier Installs Fuel Cell Power Generator at Residence

Japanese Premier Installs Fuel Cell Power Generator at Residence

Apr 08 - BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

Tokyo Gas Co, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co and Ebara Corp introduced Friday what they claim are the world's first commercial fuel cell power generation units at a newly built residence for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In a ceremony held within the residence's compound near the Diet, which will serve as private living quarters for Koizumi from later this year, Tokyo Gas Chairman Kunio Anzai handed the premier a dummy key to two fuel cell units that can generate a combined 2 kW of electricity.

"We are honoured to deliver the first commercial fuel cell power generator," Anzai said. "The system can cut household energy use by 20 per cent and carbon dioxide emissions by 30 per cent and we hope it will help curb global warming at the household level," he said.

Koizumi said after receiving the dummy key that the introduction of the units is in line with his pledge in 2002 that Japan will aim to put fuel cell technology into practical use within three years.

"To achieve both environment protection and economic development, technology holds a key," the premier said.

The new fuel cell units can function as boilers as well as generating electricity and heat at the same time. Under the cogeneration system, electricity is produced through the chemical reactions of hydrogen taken from gas and oxygen from the air, and heat is generated through the reactions.

One of the units was developed by Matsushita and the other by Ebara's subsidiary Ebara Ballard Corp. Both units have a tank capable of holding 200 litres of water at 60 C. Tokyo Gas supplies gas fuel to the units.

The environment-friendly system was introduced at the prime minister's new residence as part of the government's efforts to promote measures to protect the environment and conserve energy.

In February, Tokyo Gas began accepting applications for the fuel cell systems from ordinary household users. The company plans to install 200 units of the new system within its supply area by next March.

A 10-year contract to use the new power system will cost a household 1m yen [around 9,000 US dollars), according to Tokyo Gas.

In December 2002, Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co delivered their first commercially produced fuel cell-powered vehicles to the government in a ceremony held at the premier's office.

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