Basic Agreement Between the TMG, Minato City and Waseda University to Develop and Test a Fuel-Cell Garbage Truck

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Waseda University (Principal Investigator: Professor Yushi Kamiya of the Faculty of Science and Engineering; Co-proposer: Senior Guest Researcher and Associate Professor Yuto Ihara) are collaborating* on the development and testing of a hydrogen fuel-cell powered garbage truck that is suited to urban environments, with the aim of realizing a hydrogen-based society.

The TMG, Waseda University and Minato City have entered into a comprehensive agreement to conduct trials with fuel-cell garbage trucks in Minato City in the 2021 fiscal year.

*This project derives from an initiative by the TMG to collaborate with academics on proposals they have put forth for projects.

1 Objectives

To enter an agreement to aim for close coordination and collaboration to smoothly develop and trial a fuel-cell garbage truck, which will contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and creating a better work environment during the garbage collection process.

The fuel-cell garbage truck that will form the base for development

2 Parties to the agreement

Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Waseda University, Minato City

3 Period of the agreement

June 25, 2020 to March 31, 2022

4 Principal division of roles

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government:
  Managing the advancement of the project as a whole. Coordination with the relevant organizations.
• Waseda University:
  Remodeling the vehicle intended to be used in the city for this project. Evaluating its performance and the effect of its introduction.
• Minato City:
  Operating the garbage truck on trial runs on garbage collection routes

5 Schedule

• 2020: Develop a vehicle suited to Tokyo’s circumstances*, data analysis
• 2020: Trial runs on Minato City’s garbage collection route, data analysis and evaluation

*The vehicle that will be used as a base for this project was used in a Ministry of Environment project in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It will be remodeled to be appropriate for Tokyo.

Attachment

Regarding the system to collaborate with project proposals by academics

The system seeks to make use of the knowledge that has been accumulated in Tokyo in policymaking to help solve the urgent issues that face Tokyo and create its future. The TMG seeks project proposals that make use of the research conducted by academics in Tokyo, collaborating with universities and academics to implement these projects, and in the process aiming to realize better ways of governing Tokyo.

Regarding the hydrogen fuel-cell garbage truck project

Under the aforementioned system, a proposal to develop and test a fuel-cell garbage truck was received from Waseda University, and after being judged by experts and voted for by the public, was chosen to operate from FY 2019-2021.

The use of hydrogen fuel in industrial vehicles, which consume large amounts of energy and operate over long distances, will be indispensable to decarbonizing the transport industry and expanding the use of hydrogen fuel. Furthermore, fuel-cell powered vehicles do not emit air pollutants while running, and are quiet, meaning that their use will contribute to making the garbage collection process more pleasant for workers and residents.

 

This project aims to further the popularization of fuel-cell garbage trucks in the future by developing and testing a fuel-cell garbage truck that is suited to operating in Tokyo.

Please click here for the original Japanese press release.