Honda announced plans to build a stationary fuel cell power plant on its Torrance, Calif., corporate site by early 2023.
The station will serve as a proof of concept for the eventual commercialization of a zero-emission backup power source for facilities such as data centers that require reliable and clean auxiliary power generation to continue operations in the event of an emergency. This new effort will capitalize on Honda’s experience in fuel cell technology in support of the company’s global objective of carbon neutrality for all products and operations by 2050.
Honda’s proof-of-concept fuel cell power station will incorporate fuel cell components from Honda Clarity Fuel Cell automobiles to create a flexible, four-quad parallel stationary fuel cell power generation system capable of producing up to 1152kW-DC/1MW-AC via an inverter. A unique feature of the four-quad design is the ability to rearrange the four individual fuel cell units to accommodate a cuboid, L-shape, Z-shape, or other packaging needs.
The station will be connected to the American Honda campus’s data center in early 2023, offering a real-world power generation application for performance verification. This will help Honda to enhance its expertise in crucial areas such as power supply, supply chain development, grid connection access, construction specifications, and AC/DC connection needs.
“We will leverage the expertise Honda has established in creating multiple generations of fuel cell systems for the development of a fuel cell power generation station,” said Mitsuru Kariya, senior vice president in charge of the R&D Business Unit of American Honda. “This project is an opportunity to further utilize our strengths in fuel cell technology to more quickly create, assess and advance a clean power generation system for potential commercial customers.”
While Honda remains committed to developing fuel cell systems for passenger vehicles, the market for fuel cell systems for larger trucks and transport ships, as well as stationary generation, is growing rapidly in the United States, with the market expected to reach more than $86.7 billion annually by 2030. Data centers, in particular, require high-quality and consistent power, as any interruption in the power supply can result in downtime or other issues, such as data corruption or server damage.
Typical stationary backup generators run on diesel fuel, resulting in increased carbon emissions and localized air pollution. Backup power systems based on hydrogen fuel cells promise a bright future for clean, yet reliable, and high-quality power generation, particularly when powered by so-called “green” hydrogen derived from renewable sources, emitting only water vapor.
