Toyota this week announced that it would establish a new North American hydrogen headquarters in its Los Angeles Research and Development (R&D) office.
According to the automaker, its “H2HQ” will spearhead its hydrogen endeavors led by North America and assist in localizing worldwide technology and products related to hydrogen. This will cover stationary fuel cell power generation, port vehicle applications, and both light- and heavy-duty fuel cell applications.
“Renaming this facility as North American hydrogen headquarters represents our leadership in fuel cell development, creating real-world products to help reduce carbon emissions,” stated Ted Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America.
The LA R&D facility largely facilitated the 2015 introduction of the light-duty fuel cell car Mirai. It contains a scalable test bench for stationary applications, Toyota’s largest dynamometer, and a hydrogen fueling station for light—and heavy-duty cars.
At H2HQ, Toyota is constructing a microgrid so that it can run off the grid, which includes:
- A 500-kWh battery energy storage system is located on-site.
- A 230-kW solar photovoltaic system.
- A 1-MW stationary proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell generator.
- A 325-kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).
- Other energy sources are already in production.
Additionally, the microgrid supports the campus’s energy demands and enables off-grid operations. The system should be completely functional by 2026.
In the future, Toyota’s plans for the new North American Hydrogen HQ will include a sustainable education center available for tours by reservation. The center will be a place for people to learn more about Toyota’s vision of sustainability and hydrogen’s role.
