FuelCell Energy (FCE) and Toyota Motor North America today (May 2) officially open the Tri-gen electricity, hydrogen and water production system in the Port of Long Beach, California.
Having completed construction last year (2023), FCE said the site has been supplying Toyota with hydrogen fuel since January (2024).
Using biogas to produce electricity, hydrogen and water, the FCE Tri-gen system will support Toyota Logistics Services’ (TLS) vehicle processing and distribution centre at Long Beach.
The system uses FCE’s carbonate fuel cell technology to convert biogas from landfill sites into electricity, hydrogen and water.
Capable of generating up to 1,200kg of hydrogen per day, the system will fuel Toyota’s incoming light-duty Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), as well as supply a nearby heavy-duty hydrogen station, fuelling TLS’ logistics and drayage operations.
FCE said hydrogen production can be ramped up and down to meet demand. In April (2024), the first heavy-duty Kenworth Class 8 hydrogen-powered truck was filled with Tri-gen-produced hydrogen.
Read more: Kenworth and Toyota to begin production of hydrogen-powered truck
Up to 1,400 water by-product from hydrogen production can be generated per day, which TLS uses for car wash operations before vehicles are delivered to customers.
The 2.3MW of electricity generated by the system will be used by TLS to support its wider power operations. Excess electricity can be delivered to the local utility.
Jason Few, CEO and President of FCE, said the system demonstrates that hydrogen-based energy can “benefit businesses, deliver zero-emission transportation for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, support improved air quality in local communities, reduce water usage and deliver immediate and long-term benefits to the environment.”
Plugging hydrogen into FuelCell Energy’s decarbonisation platform
Companies pivoting towards hydrogen is something H2 View readers will be no stranger to. From oil and gas majors viewing hydrogen as the future, to the truck OEMs looking to introduce new powertrains into their drivers, many are looking to the energy carrier as a sustainable solution to future-proof their businesses.
A small number, however, have a history quite as entrenched in the technology that would become the natural home for hydrogen as Connecticut, US-based FuelCell Energy (FCE).
Founded by fuel cell pioneer Bernard Baker and battery expert Martin Klein in 1969, the company started life as the Energy Research Corporation to focus on fuel cells and rechargeable batteries.
Originally using natural gas in its fuel cells, now President and CEO of almost five years, Jason Few, told H2 View, years of research drove the company to follow a “real opportunity” to use fuel cell technology as a way to deliver continuous baseload power in a cleaner and more efficient way…
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