Toyota accelerates carbon neutrality According to Toyota’s press release, Toyota Motor Corporation announced that the company developed packaged fuel cell system modules. The most valuable Japanese company will sell them […]
According to Toyota’s press release, Toyota Motor Corporation announced that the company developed packaged fuel cell system modules. The most valuable Japanese company will sell them after the spring of 2021. Manufacturers that produce some fuel cell products such as energy generators will make use of packaged fuel cell system modules.
Nowadays, lots of companies have entered the fuel cells market because many countries set new policies to promote them. In fact, its demand is increasing. Toyota is without exception and wants to realize carbon neutrality so that it enhances fuel cells business.
Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer and was founded in 1937. As of March 31, 2020, the company has more than 350 thousands employees (consolidated). In the other article about corporate purpose, the Japanese automotive giant redefined its corporate mission as “Producing Happiness for All”.
As we can easily imagine that public transportation is not able to cover all areas where people live in. Even in big cities, people cannot help but use vehicles to move to other places. We can say that mobility is the base of our life and leads to our happiness. In this sense, Toyota’s mission does make sense and the company sold its cars more than any other competitors in 2020, in fact.
According to the office of energy efficiency and renewable energy, a fuel cell uses the chemical energy of hydrogen or another fuel to produce electricity. If hydrogen is the fuel, it can generate electricity cleanly and efficiently. This is because water, and heat are the only products (of course electricity as well). Fuel cells can be applied into several products such as utility power station and laptop computer.
Toyota refers the fact that most countries and regions set new policies to make fuel cells more available and affordable. One of the reasons why we need more fuel cells is that petrol or combustion engine cars still accounts for large part of our mobility and we need the substitute of them.
Of course, we can use electric vehicles. However, it will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions if electricity is supplied by coal plants. There are several advantages of a fuel cell.
First, a fuel cell is energy efficient. Second, it makes use of both oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity. Thus, we can supply a fuel cell stably if these elements exist. Third, chemical reaction leads to energy generations, so there is fewer noise. Finally, water and heat are products and we can easily imagine that it is really eco-friendly.
However, problems are its cost and its shorter lifecycle. In other words, there are rooms to improve its qualities and to reduce development cost. On the other hand, Research & Development needs huge money and takes time.
Therefore, we hope more companies will take advantage of Toyota’s packaged fuel cell system modules to manufacturer other products. As a result, we believe that these actions make our society greener and more sustainable. It is also important that the Japanese big companies including Toyota take actions seriously and proactively to achieve carbon neutrality.
