Toshiba completes solar-powered hydrogen production/storage system at hotel

The "H2One" stand-alone hydrogen energy supply system Source: Toshiba


Toshiba Corp says its “H2One” stand-alone hydrogen energy supply system has been completed in the “Henna (Weird) Hotel,” a hotel run by Huis Ten Bosch Co Ltd in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture.

The Henna Hotel is known for its robot reception staff and is located in an area adjacent to the Huis Ten Bosch theme park. The H2One was introduced in the “West Arm” building, which was constructed in the second construction phase.

The H2One is a CO2-free stand-alone hydrogen energy supply system that is based on Toshiba’s unique hydrogen EMS (energy management system) and uses renewable energy and hydrogen to stably supply electricity. It consists of a solar power generation system, storage battery, hydrogen production equipment, hydrogen storage alloy tank and pure hydrogen fuel cell.

In summer, when there are long hours of sunlight, surplus solar electricity is used to electrolyze water with the hydrogen production equipment, and the produced hydrogen is stored in the tank. In winter, the stored hydrogen is used to generate electricity with the pure hydrogen fuel cell. As a result, one hotel building (12 rooms) can be powered by using only water and solar power throughout the year.

The hydrogen tank is made of hydrogen storing alloy, which enables to store hydrogen at a high density. The size of the tank is about 1/10 that of a conventional hydrogen tank, reducing the size of the entire system.

The outputs of the solar power generation system and the entire H2One are 62kW and 54kW, respectively. Also, 1.8MWh of electricity can be stored, and up to 24L of hot water can be supplied per minute.

  • 4


    This is a really good idea. An off the grid hotel.... Now if everyone followed suit there would be no need for Nuclear Power Plants...

  • 0


    Sounds cool. I'd be interested to know the size of the solar panel array. I'm guessing in the region of 400 square meters, based on some specs I saw for household systems. Any experts out there that could confirm or otherwise?

  • 0


    Nice move. As I keep saying we need to look not just at individual renewable energy sources, but combinations of them that work for the area they're in .

  • 0


    Probably expensive storage system but still is worth of installing due to high efficiency and relatively low operating costs...

  • -1


    Well done, Toshiba! Great to hear something positive for you.

    Probably expensive storage system

    The cost issue will pass as systems become more efficient. Let's hope for plenty of early adopters so the scale economies can ramp up, too!

  • 0


    So it can provide enough hot water to have 3 showers running simultaneously, and the people in the other 9 rooms have to wait?

  • 0


    Do you really think you need 8L of water a minute for a shower?

  • 1


    I don't think it's a matter of what I think I need. I Googled it and found that the average (which I have no control over) is 7.9 liters per minute for a shower.

  • 0



    But additional water can also be heated with the available electricity. Maybe 10-15 showers from 54kW.

  • 0

    Brian D. Sylvia

    I would like to know the AVAILIBILITY of the system, an most importantly . . . its COST.

Login to leave a comment





More in Technology

View all

View all

to Buy
in Japan

Find the perfect home today!