ENEFARM

As known, ENEFARM generally stands for every type of residential FC (fuel cell) CHP system manufactured in Japan. It consists of two types: one uses the PEFC (polymer electrolyte fuel cell) for the fuel cell unit and the other, the SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell). The SOFC is called the next generation fuel cell, and has many advantages over the PEFC. The advantages are high efficiency, simple structure, high endurance, a variety of fuels available, etc. The SOFC ENEFARM cogenerators were launched in 2011.

The ENEFARM FC cogenerators are still in the early stage market, which started in 2010. Its price is still  high, 2,500,000 yen (x 1/about 80 = usd)s/system. Users may use the subsidy up to 700,000 yen. The price is scheduled to be halved or lower, for example, around 1,000,000 yen in 2015. The technical development aggressively progresses for the price reduction. >> More

Hydrogen fueling station facilities, their semi-full-fledged installation starts soon

Development of hydrogen-based fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) is continuing worldwide toward 2015 FCV commercialization.
Semi-full-fledged installation of hydrogen fueling (H-fueling) station facilities will start soon in Japan.
The Japanese government has decided to take a measure to install H-fueling station facilities that are for supplying hydrogen gas to FCVs. METI will amend the ordinance of the High Pressure Gas Safety Law so as to raise the upper limit of hydrogen gas pressure to 70 MPa, from 35 Mpa. The amendment will be made by this autumn. If the 70 MPa circumstance has been set up, the investors will actively invest in this field. Further, METI has a plan to use a government subsidy to promote the building of H-fueling station facilities. It will request the subsidy budget targeting 1,000 hydrogen stations for the coming fiscal budget.　>> More

Electric field observation at atomic scale by electron microscope

A new and revolutionary technology is presented that is capable of observing “electric fields” at atomic scale by use of the electron microscope. This is the world’s first observing technology using the electron microscope.

The new observing technology will strongly assist the development of new materials particularly for energy devices, such as catalyst materials to be used by batteries and fuel cells. The observing technology is featured by a quartered detector of the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and a new and creative analyzing method for analyzing the data output from the detector.
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