OREANDA-NEWS. Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has received an order from the City of Yokohama’s Port & Harbor Bureau for the supply of an independent hydrogen energy supply system, H2One™, that will be installed at the Yokohama Cargo Center (YCC) on Daikoku Futo, an artificial island and pier within the port. This is the first order for the system from a local government organization.

H2One™ is a hydrogen-based autonomous energy supply system. It integrates a battery for storing electricity, an electrolysis unit for producing hydrogen from water, a hydrogen storage tank and a fuel cell for generating electricity from hydrogen. In a disaster, such as an earthquake or typhoon that brings down lifelines, the fuel cell generates electricity and produces warm water. In normal, day-to-day operation, hydrogen energy management system (H2 EMS) of H2One™ controls overall operation, including hydrogen production volume, power generation, and storage.

The H2One™ that Toshiba will supply to YCC is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) model. In the event of a disaster that knocks out power supply to Daikoku Futo, conversion of the stored hydrogen to electricity will allow YCC to maintain communications for as long as 72 hours, and will help to secure the continuity of port operations. Yokohama aims to be “a port that is safe, secure, and environmentally friendly,” and the Port & Harbor Bureau has highly evaluated H2One™ as a clean, low-carbon solution for sustained power supply in the event of a disaster.

Toshiba is drawing on the diverse capabilities of its group companies to promote the development of technical solutions and innovative products that will contribute to the realization of a hydrogen economy and clean energy generation. The H2One™ is one of the results of this commitment, and the company has developed four models: a remote island model to bring clean energy to islands reliant on diesel to generate electricity; a resort model that provides hotels with a self-contained and reliable power source; an office model aimed at businesses; and the BCP model to support sustained operations in emergencies.