Japanese automakers Honda and Mitsubishi are joining forces in a groundbreaking initiative, aiming to test the feasibility of utilizing waste hydrogen in a small data center as part of an innovative decarbonization project. The project involves repurposing retired automotive fuel cells in a stationary application, contributing to the broader goal of sustainable energy practices.
The waste hydrogen, a by-product of an industrial electrolysis plant operated by Tokuyama Corporation in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, will be transported through a dedicated pipeline. The plant, in operation since 1952, generates sodium hypochlorite and chlorine by electrolyzing salt water.
Honda plans to harness the waste hydrogen to fuel a power plant constructed from recycled fuel cells from electric vehicles, while Mitsubishi aims to use the resulting electricity to power a compact data center, potentially resembling the size of a shipping container based on an accompanying image released by the company.
This waste hydrogen and second-life fuel cell project represents a strategic effort to explore cost-effective means of reusing existing products and advancing decarbonization initiatives. The utilization of retired automotive fuel cells in stationary applications seeks to make fuel cell power plants more economically viable.
The collaborative endeavor by Honda and Mitsubishi also seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing by-product hydrogen and repurposing fuel cells for data center operations, thereby contributing to the decarbonization of such facilities. The project additionally investigates the feasibility of powering production data centers in the region through these sustainable methods.
Japan stands out globally with a substantial fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), numbering as many as 7,700 on the nation’s roads. This abundance of retired fuel cells presents a unique opportunity for reuse. If successful, the project could pave the way for similar initiatives in other countries, such as Korea, boasting nearly 30,000 FCEVs, and the United States, with approximately 15,000.
Supported by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, this joint demonstration project is part of an overarching trial aimed at progressing towards a hydrogen-centric society. The waste hydrogen and second-life fuel cell project is slated to continue until the end of March 2026.