Soma city tour bus runs on methane synthesized from solar hydrogen
Methanation standard machine
(Source: IHI)
Odekake minibus and filling machine
(Source: IHI)
IHI announced on January 23 that it has started supplying synthetic methane (e-methane) to vehicles fueled by synthetic methane (e-methane) on the Odekake Minibus, a community bus (regional tour bus) operated by Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture. . Full-scale operation of synthetic methane fuel vehicles will begin on February 1.
Synthetic methane will be synthesized at the Soma IHI Green Energy Center (SIGC) in the city through a catalytic reaction between CO2 and hydrogen using green hydrogen produced by electrolyzing water from photovoltaic power. Manufactured using a methanation device (standard machine). Purchase CO2 derived from exhaust gas as a raw material.
The standard methanation machine is designed by IHI and is housed in an enclosure measuring 2250mm wide x 6100mm long x 2850mm high. Methane production capacity is 12.5Nm3/h. Low-load operation is also possible, and in this demonstration, 4Nm3/h of synthetic methane is produced and supplied to the bus with a charging device.
One of the outing minibuses was refurbished so that it could use synthetic methane fuel. The fuel tank can be filled with 18Nm3 of synthetic methane, and the cruising range is about 150km. The filling equipment used for LNG vehicles was reused, and it was confirmed that the development of new filling equipment for supplying synthetic methane was unnecessary.
Part of the smart community project that Soma City is implementing with the aim of contributing to local production and local consumption of solar power and regional promotion and development. Part of the project (related to charging equipment) was subsidized by the "Support Project Cost Subsidy for Promoting the Introduction of Renewable Energy in Fukushima Prefecture" synthesis of methane with energy hydrogen).
