New Energies, new possibilities

Automotive major General Motors (GM) will halt development of its next-generation hydrogen fuel cells.

In an attempt to “sharpen its focus on technologies that show the clearest path to scale and customer value,” GM and its partner Honda have ended production and reportedly scrapped plans to construct a $55m plant in Detroit.

Instead of advancing the development of its Hydrotec brand, GM will concentrate R&D and capital resources on batteries, charging technologies, and electric vehicles (EVs).

“[These] have clear market traction, rather than on hydrogen, which has yet to fulfil its potential,” the firm said in a statement.

However, through the joint venture (JV) Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC, GM will continue to produce hydrogen fuel cells for data centres and power generation at its Michigan plant.

FCSM’s 70,000 sq ft facility in Brownstown was established in 2017 through an $86m joint investment, producing hydrogen power solutions for both companies.

Although large-scale hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing began in Michigan last year, recent reporting suggests that GM has laid off employees, while construction of its planned Hydrotec facility in Detroit has also been halted.

GM attributed the decision to broader market challenges and noted that “hydrogen holds promise for specific high-demand industrial applications like backup power, mining, and heavy trucking.”

But it added, “The path to reaching a sustainable business in fuel cells is long and uncertain. High costs and limited hydrogen infrastructure in the US have limited consumer adoption of fuel cell-powered vehicles.

“According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), only 61 hydrogen refuelling stations exist nationwide, compared to more than 250,000 level two or faster electric vehicle charging locations.”

GM has invested heavily in hydrogen fuel cell development, allocating $35 million in 2021 to expand production across multiple plants and projects. Its decision to scale back production comes amid growing uncertainty in the US hydrogen industry.

Reports emerged last week that the DOE is planning to cancel grants for all five of the remaining federally backed hydrogen hubs.

While GM is pulling back from hydrogen fuel cell R&D and pausing Hydrotec development, partner Honda is pushing forward independently with its own fuel cell development.

Last February, Honda said it costs half as much to produce and is more than twice as durable as the current model.

2025年10月11日、山梨県、並びに技術開発参画企業 10 社（東レ㈱、東京電力ホールディングス㈱、東京電力エナジーパートナー㈱、カナデビア㈱、シーメンス・エナジー㈱、㈱加地テック、三浦工業㈱、サントリーホールディングス㈱、ニチコン㈱、㈱やまなしハイドロジェンカンパニー（YHC））は、国立研究開発法人新エネルギー・産業技術総合開発機構（NEDO）のグリーンイノベーション基金事業による助成を受け、サントリー天然水 南アルプス白州工場（山梨県北杜市）、及びサントリー白州蒸溜所（山梨県北杜市）の脱炭素化に向けた「カーボンニュートラル実現へ向けた大規模P2Gシステムによるエネルギー需要転換・利用技術開発」に係る実証として、11日からグリーン水素の製造及び、天然水工場での利用を開始した。

　今回、設置するグリーン水素製造設備の能力は 16MW と日本最大であり、24 時間 365 日稼働した場合、年間 2,200トンの水素を製造し、16,000トンの CO2排出量の削減が可能だ。利用面では、高効率かつ低 NOXの水素ボイラを開発し、天然水工場で使う熱源の一部を化石燃料（天然ガス）から水素に転換する実証を進めていく。併せて、天然水工場及び蒸溜所の脱炭素化とともに、周辺地域での水素の活用拡大を推進していく。

　今後、2026 年末までの期間で再生可能エネルギー由来の電力の調達からグリーン水素での蒸気製造に至る一連のシステムを実証することにより、将来の再生可能エネルギーの大量導入に併せ、様々な地域や場所への当該システムの展開を目指していく。
　また、自然豊かな北杜市白州で、本システムがグリーン水素の供給ハブとなり、将来的に多くの方に親しまれることを目指し、実証地を「グリーン水素パーク -白州-」と命名した。山梨県並びに技術開発参画企業10社は引き続き密に連携し、カーボンニュートラル社会の実現に向け、固体高分子（PEM）形水電解によるグリーン水素製造の技術開発に加え、水素エネルギーの需要拡大へ積極的に取り組んでいく考えだ。

詳しくは、→https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/documents/99077/r061011_release.pdf

→https://www.suntory.co.jp/news/article/14915.html