Panasonic has officially opened the Panasonic HX demonstration facility in Cardiff, UK.
According to a company statement, the 50-year-old manufacturing plant now uses hydrogen fuel cells powered by green hydrogen, solar PV and battery storage, managed by Panasonic’s Energy Management System (EMS). This installation will power the factory’s microwave oven assembly with 100% renewable energy, it noted.
The factory has replaced its gas boiler with a renewable energy source, combining a heat exchanger and Panasonic’s heat pump technology with natural refrigerant R290, the statement said.
Masahiro Shinada, president and CEO at Panasonic, said: “This facility will use green hydrogen produced in the UK. We believe that this is the place where we can take a big step towards the future by combining British and Japanese technology. It is our sincere hope that this facility can be used as a showcase to foster diverse partnerships, accelerate innovation through the combination of technologies, and contribute to the development of the UK’s hydrogen-related industry. Now, with the launch of Panasonic HX here at PMUK, we look forward to the next chapter. In 10 years, or even 20 years, I hope this facility will be seen as a birthplace of innovation – where we helped build a hydrogen society and laid the foundation for a decarbonised future.”
Panasonic said it aims to achieve virtually Net Zero CO2 emissions from its operations by 2030, contributing to a reduction of 110m tons of CO2. The Panasonic GREEN IMPACT vision outlines its commitment to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability, it added. The company is investing €130m to develop HX technology in Japan and launch this facility in Cardiff and in another European location in 2025.
At its Cardiff facility, Panasonic has installed 21 5kW hydrogen fuel cells as part of a decentralised system optimised for the electricity used by the factory, combined with 372kW solar power and 1MWh capacity of battery storage to provide renewable energy to the facility and collect the electricity of the PV system even at times when the factory isn’t in operation such as on weekends.