Japanese fuel cell manufacturer conducts research in North Rhine-Westphalia

JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation and the fuel cell research center ZBT at the University of Duisburg-Essen are collaborating on innovative fuel cell devices for domestic energy supply.

One of the leading Japanese fuel cell manufacturers and the Duisburg fuel cell research center ZBT recently sealed their cooperation in a memorandum of understanding. Starting in June 2012, the partners will joint test and evaluate the operational fitness of fuel cell devices under German conditions, in particular with regard to gas and drinking water quality. The North Rhine-Westphalian development institute is providing premises and technical equipment for the tests.

For over 25 years now, the Japanese company has been working on the development of fuel cell systems which are particularly suitable for single-and multi-family houses, as well as for small businesses. The system based on the high-temperature SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) has been in use on the Japanese market in the domestic energy sector since last year.