Iwatani Corporation recently celebrated the completion of a hydrogen refueling station in Yamaguchi Shunan, the first of its kind in Chugoku area and the first outside the four metropolitan areas. Over the years Iwatani has opened sites in Amagasaki City in Hyogo Prefecture, Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Minato Ward in Tokyo, Toda City in Saitama Prefecture, and Toyoda City in Aichi Prefecture. This new facility is the sixth station to be opened by the company.
There are many chemical manufacturers located in the coastal region of Yamaguchi prefecture. Recognizing the high potential capacity for supplying hydrogen, Yamaguchi prefecture has initiated various efforts to support the development of pure hydrogen type fuel cells, such as the granting of research and development subsidies, to realize the local production of the hydrogen manufactured by the chemistry manufacturers as a form of energy for local consumption.
As a part of these efforts, Yamaguchi prefecture consulted Iwatani about constructing a hydrogen refueling station in Shunan City. The company has a liquefied hydrogen production plant in Shunan in Yamaguchi prefecture that produces “Yamaguchi liquid hydrogen” as part of a joint venture with the Tokuyama Corporation. It was decided to build a refueling station to make good use of the geographical advantage of supplying hydrogen and help support activities conducted in Yamaguchi prefecture.
The station was built on the site of a local wholesale market in Shunan, and will supply hydrogen to the fuel cell forklifts that will be tested inside the market. Because the forklifts are refueled at a pressure of 35MPa, which is half that of FC automobiles, the station will be equipped with both 70MPa and 35MPa dispensers. It is the first station in Japan capable of refueling both automobiles and forklifts at the same site.
Source: Itawani Corporation
