JAPAN REPORT
Komatsu has announced the development of a hydrogen-powered generator that will be used to power an electric mini excavator. It can be transported to the job site, allowing electric construction equipment to be used in places where there is no electric power infrastructure. The system will be tested at customer sites by September 2024.
The generator was developed in cooperation with DENYO. The generator is 3.1 meters long, 1.1 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. It generates electricity by mixing up to 40% hydrogen with light oil. HVO fuel (hydrogenated vegetable oil), a type of biofuel made from waste cooking oil, can also be used.
Komatsu has developed hydrogen-blended combustion power generators for use in on-site power generation at factories and other facilities. The company sells seven types of electric construction equipment but is unable to supply power to sites where there are no power distribution networks, so it has been working to commercialize an electric power supply infrastructure.
Source: The Nikkei
PSR Analysis: The short operating time of electric construction equipment is a major problem, and in many cases, diesel generators are brought to job sites and operated while the batteries are being recharged. Under these conditions, it is difficult to achieve the goal of reducing CO2 emissions.
Even generators that can use hydrogen or HVO fuel cannot reduce CO2 emissions to zero, but they are making progress. As more of these devices enter the market, it is expected that the number of situations in which they will be used will increase.
There are three major issues that need to be addressed for the future use of hydrogen on construction sites. The first is to increase the number of sites where hydrogen is available. Currently, the number of places where hydrogen can be refueled is very small compared to gas stations. This is not a situation that Komatsu can solve on its own. A long-term plan is needed, including regulatory improvements.
The second issue is CO2 emissions from hydrogen production. At present, the amount of hydrogen that can be produced from water and air is limited and still at an experimental level. Most of the hydrogen used in various industries today is produced by combustion, which emits large amounts of CO2 during hydrogen production. Hydrogen is considered clean energy only in terms of CO2 emissions from hydrogen combustion, and CO2 emissions from hydrogen production will be considered in the future.
The third is cost. Compared with light oil, hydrogen is more expensive. The phase of popularization will not begin until the price of hydrogen becomes competitive.
All these issues require a great deal of effort and time to resolve, and widespread adoption is still a long way off. However, efforts to develop such products should continue, and only a limited number of manufacturers can make such efforts. Komatsu has an important role to play in determining how much hydrogen will be used in the construction equipment world in the future. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
