Toyota and FuelCell Energy have announced the completion of the world's first tri-gen system at Toyota's Port of Long Beach operations. The tri-gen system, owned and operated by FuelCell Energy, produces renewable electricity, renewable hydrogen, and water from directed biogas. FuelCell Energy has contracted with Toyota to supply tri-gen products under a 20-year purchase agreement.
The tri-gen system is an example of FuelCell Energy's ability to scale hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology, an increasingly important energy solution in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions. The tri-gen system will enable Toyota Logistic Services (TLS) Long Beach to be the company's first port vehicle processing facility in the world powered by onsite-generated, 100 percent renewable energy and represents the types of innovative and bold investments the company is making as part of its environmental sustainability strategy.
How Tri-gen Works
The tri-gen system uses an electrochemical process that converts directed renewable biogas into electricity, hydrogen, and water with a highly efficient, combustion-free process that emits virtually no air pollutants. The directed biogas comes from agricultural waste sources in California.
The tri-gen system produces 2.3 megawatts of renewable electricity, part of which will be off-taken by TLS Long Beach to support its operations at the port, which processes approximately 200,000 new Toyota and Lexus vehicles annually. The electricity will also power an onsite hydrogen refueling station that can dispense up to 1,200 kilograms of hydrogen per day. The hydrogen will be used to fuel Toyota's Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and Project Portal heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks that operate at the port.
The tri-gen system also produces up to 1.2 million gallons of water per year as a byproduct of the electrochemical process. The water will be used for industrial purposes such as cooling towers or irrigation.
