Overview of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Development Policies in Japan

Abstract

Since the 1950s, research institutes and universities in Japan have been working on various types of fuel cells and hydrogen storage materials. Starting with the Sun Shine Project launched in 1974, a n umber of research activities were implemented as national projects. However, in the face of uncertainties regarding generation mechanism of fuel cells, characterization of materials and components of fuel cells, these research projects have not achieved scientific elucidation required for product development. It is only in recent years when the Japanese R&D program has promoted fundamental and scientific researches as a top priority. Degradation phenomena do not become clear until a certain length of operation and the analysis of the operation results have been done. Evaluation of a fuel cell stack or a system is insufficiently fed back to neither material development nor a mechanism elucidation. One of the most serious obstacles for active feedback between academic researches and commercialization of fuel cell has been a lack of system that enables academics and manufacturers to share information and cooperate among themselves. Those important lessons show us that what needed the most now is to execute basic researches extensively and to evaluate technologies in a cooperative manner.