Hydrogen energy R&D has been proceeding since the First Oil Crisis in 1973 to introduce hydrogen into conventional energy system. Further, global environmental problem elevated concerns hydrogen energy and R&D to open up avenues of use hydrogen energy has been progressing actively. Details of each hydrogen supply technologies will be explained by person respectively, therefore. I would like to explain the outline of hydrogen supply system in general.

Metal hydrides which reversibly absorb and desorb hydrogen at ambient temperature and moderate pressure, so-called “hydrogen-absorbing alloys”, and their application to hydrogen storage systems have been extensively studied since the early 1970s. Under rising concerns about energy and environment problems, the research and development of this technological field has been intensified, especially toward the effective utilization for fuel cell vehicles. This paper briefly gives a personal review of hydrogen storage technologies using meta hydrides and other media.

The special number issue entitled “Storage and Transportation of Hydrogen” explains in detail the production, storage, and transportation of liquid hydrogen. The article includes purification process to liquefying hydrogen, ortho-para conversion process, liquefaction process and a thermal insulation method to store liquid hydrogen at a cryogenic temperature, as well as various transportation systems in service in the world.

Hydrogen has been stored as a pressurized gas in high-pressure gas vessels since the beginning of the20th century. The main reason for pressurizing hydrogen is that when it is pressurized its apparent volume becomes smaller, making storage and transportation more convenient. Recently lightweight composites vessels developed to meet the need for tank of compressed hydrogen gas to be used as fuel for motor vehicles. This paper is concerned with pressurization and storage of hydrogen. It covers matters trend of standardization and safety point for using composite vessels, technical developments affecting storage vessels, and actual examples of pressurized hydrogen storage.

A decalin dehydrogenation/Naphthalene hydrogenation pair has been proposed as a effective hydrogen carrier, in which catalytic decalin dehydrogeno-aromatization takes an essential role under reactive distillation conditions with waste heats (around 200℃) Carbon-supported platinum-based catalysts in the liquid-film states gave one-pass conversions of decalin into hydrogen and naphthalene, exceeding the limit of chemica equilibrium with irrespective of naphthalene content in the decalin solution. In this paper we emphasized the advantages of this decalin/naphthalene system for long-term storag and long-distance transportation of hydrogen superior to other systems from the viewpoints of hydrogen contents and required exergies.

This paper describes Island’s challenge toward the world’s first hydrogen society. The small country in the North Atlantic has established a joint venture (JV) named “Icelandic New Energy Ltd” to investigate the potential for replacing the use of fossil fuels with hydrogen. As the first phase of the project, a demonstration project with 3 PEMFC-powered buses is planned in its capital city. The JV also plans to replace all the vehicles and the fishing vessels with fuel cell powered ones by around 2030-2040. The final goal, the transformation into hydrogen society, is expected to lead to economic prosperity of this small country.

The amount of solar energy received by the earth’s surface exceeds that of the world social energy consumption by 6000 times, and its exploitation as a source of renewable energy source is keenly desired. The process consisting of photobiological production of hydrogen utilizing cyanobacteria has distinct advantages over the most of the conventional energy producing systems in that it consumes less material and less energy, and produces less waste materials than the latter during any stages of production, operation and disposal of the process. This paper describes a proposal for the reevaluation and the promotion of developmental research on hydrogen production utilizing oxygen-evolving photosynthesis.

Catalytic methanol decomposition proceeds at high conversions with a carbon-supported Pd-Ru catalyst or a Cu catalyst under boiling conditions in the liquid-film state. The best Pd:Ru bimetallic molar ratio was found to be 1:8, whereas cupric acetate was recommended as the Cu catalyst precursor. An automobile technology with new on-board upgrading of methanol fuel is proposed here by utilizing waste heats exhausted from the Otto-type internal combustion engine with this endothermic reaction.

The hydrogen production process is reviewed giving the current state of the technology and recent development. The main requirements of the technology are described from the catalyst viewpoint. The role of catalyst and system supplying hydrogen with polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) are briefly discussed.

This report reviews the concept of Honda fuel cell vehicle development, as well as the recen status and trend of the technology developments. The emphasis is placed on th introduction of the Honda FCX-Va, which its developed for California Fuel Cell Partnershi test program planned to be started in November this year.