Panasonic has supplied transit operator Osaka Metro with a combined hydrogen fuel cell and solar power system, underscoring the Japanese conglomerate’s growing focus on industrial hydrogen applications.
Panasonic Corp. said in a press release that its electric plant division has delivered a combined pure hydrogen fuel cell and PV system to Osaka Metro’s Morinomiya Depot, supporting the transit operator’s carbon neutrality goals. The system was initially installed in September 2024 as part of a demonstration project, with Panasonic providing end-to-end supply and installation.
The deployment links a 100 kW solar panel with a 10 kW hydrogen fuel cell to the depot’s high-voltage substation, with a special monitoring and control system that tracks the generation and operation of the equipment. Panasonic said it has also implemented a proof-of-concept monitoring system that combines PV monitoring and energy management tools, to facilitate remote monitoring at Osaka Metro’s headquarters and visualization in ‘e METRO MOBILITY TOWN’, the mobility-themed experience park.
Osaka Metro, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by the 2050 budget year, attributes most of its emissions to electricity consumption. Therefore, it has made the integration of renewable energy a key strategic imperative. The initiative will allow the company to combine different renewable sources and gain more knowledge for the direct use of renewable electricity to power trains in the future.
The carrier noted that it selected Panasonic’s hydrogen and solar solution after evaluating several manufacturers and visiting Panasonic’s HX Kusatsu demonstration facility. The factory in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture is powered entirely by renewable energy using solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries.
Masaru Hikosaka, head of solutions engineering at Panasonic’s electrical works division, said in a statement that the modular design of the Osaka Metro fuel cell system significantly reduced installation time, allowing the company to complete the project in 10 days instead of the average installation time of 30 days. The Japanese group has repurposed its residential fuel cell technologies for industrial use and is now expanding its hydrogen energy business around the world, including locations in the United Kingdom and Germany.
In September, Panasonic began testing a new energy management system that integrates solar energy, heat pumps and batteries to expand self-consumption in pilot homes in the Tokyo region. The move follows the Osaka-based group’s exit from the residential solar and battery storage business earlier this year.
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