Toyota and Tri-gen technology: first system to produce electricity, hydrogen and water

Toyota has announced an agreement with FuelCell Energy to use the Tri-Gen system in the Japanese brand's operations at its facility at the Port of Long Beach, California (USA), under a 20-year purchase agreement. The system, owned by FuelCell Energy, uses an electrochemical process to convert targeted biogas into electricity, hydrogen and usable water, without combustion and with virtually no pollutant emissions. In this way, Toyota Logistic Services (TLC) will become the first Toyota vehicle processing port facility in the world to run on 100% renewable electricity generated on -site.

Breaking down the capacity of the Tri-gen system, Toyota has stated that this technology is capable of generating 2.3 megawatts of renewable electricity for use in operations at the port, which processes around 200,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles annually. In addition, up to 1,200 kilograms per day of hydrogen can also be produced, destined to cover the fuel needs of the Mirai, as well as logistics and heavy cargo operations at the port. In addition, the Japanese brand has explained in a statement that hydrogen production can be increased or reduced depending on the needs of the moment.

On the other hand, from the hydrogen production process, 5,300 liters of water per day will be co-produced, used in the facilities to wash the vehicles arriving at the port before delivery to customers. In this way, it is estimated that local water use will be reduced by about two million liters per year. Overall, Tri-gen is expected to help avoid the emission of more than six tons of NOx emissions from the grid, reduce diesel consumption by more than 1.6 million liters per year through the use of hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks in port operations, while Tri-gen's carbon neutral products are expected to reduce CO2 emissions from the grid by more than 9,000 tons each year.

"By turning solely to renewable hydrogen and electricity production, TLS Long Beach will break new ground for our company. In collaboration with FuelCell Energy, we have a world-class facility that will help Toyota in its carbon reduction initiatives, and the best part is that this real-world example can be replicated in many corners of the globe," said Chris Reynolds, Managing Director of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA).

To top it off, surplus electricity not used at the TSL will be transferred to the local electric utility, Southern California Edison, thereby incorporating an affordable and flexible load generation resource into the electric grid.

Toyota has announced an agreement with FuelCell Energy to use the Tri-Gen system in the Japanese brand's operations at its facility at the Port of Long Beach, California (USA), under a 20-year purchase agreement. The system, owned by FuelCell Energy, uses an electrochemical process to convert targeted biogas into electricity, hydrogen and usable water, without combustion and with virtually no pollutant emissions. Toyota Logistic Services (TLC) will thus become the first Toyota vehicle processing port facility in the world to run on 100% renewable electricity generated on -site.