The municipal government of Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, has started operating a hydrogen refueling station on its premises in the Asahi district of the city.

The station uses solar power to produce hydrogen and supplies it to fuel cell vehicles (see clip). It is the first hydrogen refueling station to be installed in the prefecture and the second in the Tohoku region, following one in Sendai.

The city is aiming to become a front-runner in utilizing hydrogen energy as a first step to realizing the Fukushima Plan for a New Energy Society, which was formulated after the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant to promote the prefecture as a leading region of hydrogen production.

郡山市は８日、太陽光発電を活用して水素を製造、燃料電池車（ＦＣＶ）に供給する水素ステーションを同市朝日の市役所敷地内で稼働させた。設置は県内初で、東北では仙台市に次いで２番目。原発事故後の本県を水素の一大生産地とする「福島新エネ社会構想」の実現に向けた第一歩として、水素エネルギー活用の先駆けの地を目指す。

At the hydrogen refueling station in Koriyama, a hydrogen production device and a hydrogen-filling machine are compactly integrated.

Photovoltaic units have been installed on the roof of the station's parking area to generate electricity that is then used to electrolyze water to produce hydrogen gas without emitting carbon dioxide.

郡山市のステーションは水素の製造装置や充填（じゅうてん）機などをコンパクトにまとめたパッケージ型。駐輪場の屋根に太陽光発電装置を設け、発電した電力を利用して水を電気分解、二酸化炭素（ＣＯ２）を排出せずに気体状態で水素を作り出す。

At the opening ceremony of the station, Koriyama Mayor Masato Shinagawa said, "In Koriyama, a project to utilize hydrogen is under way at a research facility of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. We want to provide our utmost support so that it can create new industries in the field by making good use of the project's outcomes."

開所式で品川萬里市長は「郡山市では産総研（産業技術総合研究所）の研究所で水素利用のプロジェクトが進んでいる。成果を活用し、この分野で新しい産業が起こるよう大いに支援したい」と意欲を示した。

According to the Koriyama city government, the price of hydrogen is about \1,000 per kilogram. A fuel cell vehicle can travel about 100 kilometers per kilogram of hydrogen.

The station is capable of producing about 1.5 kilograms of hydrogen a day and storing up to 19 kilograms of hydrogen.

A fuel cell vehicle can travel at least 250 kilometers after filling a tank. The cost for the project is about \187 million, \120 million of which was provided by subsidies from the Environment Ministry. The municipal government will pay a leasing fee of \67 million for eight years.

市によると、水素は１キロ当たりの価格が約１０００円。水素１キロでＦＣＶが約１００キロ走行可能。ステーションでは水素を１日約１．５キロ製造でき、最大１９キロ貯蔵する。１回の充填でＦＣＶが最低２５０キロ走行できる。事業費は約１億８７００万円で、うち１億２０００万円は環境省の補助金を活用。市は８年間のリース料約６７００万円を負担する。

The city government has obtained one fuel cell vehicle, a Honda Motor Co. Clarity, on a five-year lease contract at a total cost of about \7.06 million. The city will use the FCV as a public car and for activities such as raising awareness of energy conservation. The city is also planning to allow pre-registered companies and individuals to use the station free of charge.

市はホンダのＦＣＶ「クラリティ」１台（５年リースで約７０６万円）も導入。今後、公用車として利用するほか、省エネなどの啓発活動で活用する。また、今月中にも、事前登録した市民や事業者がステーションを無料で利用できるようにする考えだ。

Fuel cell vehicle (FCV)

FCVs travel using a fuel cell that generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Just like gasoline-powered vehicles that are refueled at gas stations, FCVs are refueled at hydrogen stations. While FCVs have a similar capability to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, they only emit water when they are being used. Compared to electric vehicles, FCVs can travel a longer distance and need less time for refueling.

（ Translated by The Japan News ）

燃料電池車（ＦＣＶ）

燃料電池で水素と酸素の化学反応によって発電した電気エネルギーを使って走る自動車。ガソリン車がガソリンスタンドで燃料を補給するように、ＦＣＶは水素ステーションで燃料となる水素を補給する。既存のガソリン車と同程度の機能を持つが、走行中に排出するのは水のみ。電気自動車（ＥＶ）と比べて走行距離が長く、充填（じゅうてん）時間が短い。

【 ２０１７年６月９日付・福島民友新聞掲載 】