JAPAN REPORT
On March 28, Kubota unveiled the first prototype of a fuel cell-powered tractor. Although no release date has been set, the company will consider installing fuel cells in unmanned, automated tractors. Kubota is also developing battery-powered agricultural equipment, but the company believes that hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be effective for medium-large sized agricultural equipment.
Kubota is rushing to commercialize fuel cells because it believes demand will grow in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and the United States as a result of the trend toward decarbonization. The prototype machine has about 60 horsepower and has three hydrogen tanks installed above the cabin, which are used in Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell car. It generates electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen to power the engine. In the experiment, a tractor was equipped with a plowing unit to till the soil.
Compared to passenger cars, agricultural equipment requires longer operating hours and more power for certain tasks. Kubota expects that small and medium-sized agricultural equipment can be powered by rechargeable batteries, but for large and medium-sized agricultural equipment, the batteries may become too heavy, so fuel cells may be more effective. The company will promote the decarbonization of agricultural equipment through an “all-round strategy,” including the use of hydrogen engines.
A demonstration was also conducted in which hydrogen was filled into a tank on the top of the tractor; the tank can be filled with about 7.8 kilograms of hydrogen in 10 minutes, allowing the tractor to run for about four hours.
The prototype machine is about one-third as loud as conventional diesel-powered machines. In addition to being able to work at night, the machine also produces less vibration in the cab, which is expected to help reduce the burden on farmers.
Source: The Nikkei
PSR Analysis: The development of fuel cell powered equipment is being promoted by leading OEMs in each segment of industry. In the agricultural equipment segment, Kubota was one of the first OEMs to actively pursue the development of fuel cell-powered machinery. Kubota is a member of the Hydrogen Value Chain Promotion Council, an organization that aims to promote hydrogen in Japan. It’s one of the 25 board members that include Toyota, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kobe Steel, and Toshiba.
From a practical standpoint, there are many challenges to the widespread use of hydrogen and fuel cells. Even if equipment is equipped with fuel cells, if CO2 is generated in the process of producing hydrogen, the actual CO2 reduction effect will be limited. Diesel engines are still the mainstay of agricultural equipment, and it is essential to establish a supply chain that is as easy to obtain as that for diesel oil. It would be unreasonable to ask farmers to bear a greater burden of fuel costs.
Given the difficulties in solving these problems, it could take several decades before fuel cells are fully accepted in the marketplace. It is not certain that the current development of fuel cells will be recognized as an extremely worthwhile investment in the future–we will have to wait and see. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
