World’s first hotel run on hydrogen energy generated from plastic waste

zenbird (49)in #sustainability • 5 years ago

Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu Rei Hotel is in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, an hour train ride from central Tokyo. It is the world’s first hotel that utilizes hydrogen energy.

Since its opening in June 2018, it has attracted many visitors and guests. In this article, we will learn how this hotel acts as a communication hub and promotes a CO2-free clean energy solution.

(Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

Transforming industrial area into green innovation hub

We will look at the unique history of Kawasaki first.

After the Meiji period, Kawasaki developed as an important port to import and export goods and products. It became one of the three largest industrial regions in Japan, Keihin Industrial Region. At the same time, factories produced waste materials and waste heat that caused environmental problems and pollution.

If you are familiar with this Japanese history, the word “Kawasaki” might remind you of an industrial area lined with petrochemical complexes.

Industrial area (via shutterstock)

Kawasaki is now in transition, however, from such an industrial place to the city of culture, music and art under the initiative of Kawasaki City.

The area of the hotel, in particular, is called King Skyfront, along the coast of south Kawasaki on the opposite of Handed Airport. It is designated as a special zone under the country’s new growth strategy. The aim is to make it a global innovative hub, where open innovation can happen in the areas of health, medicine, welfare and environment.

Kawasaki City invites international research institutes, businesses and other organizations to establish their research and development bases. International and domestic corporations have an office in the zone such as Johnson and Johnson and Daiwa House Industry. They benefit from various privileges including relaxed regulations and tax benefits.

The urban resort hotel, built on the old factory site, represents Kawasaki’s transformation from an industrial town to a new global hub.

(Image: Tokyu Rei Hotel)

Cozy space inspired by Brooklyn, NY

Upon entering, you might get surprised by its stylish design, feeling as if you were in Brooklyn, New York. In fact, the location has been used for shooting fashion magazine photos and online commercials, and for organizing some events such as car demonstration driving and Kawasaki City music festivals.

Inside the hotel (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

Open space (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

With Kawasaki’s hope to create communication opportunities in the city, the hotel has a coworking space on the first floor.

Coworking space (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

When you look at the building outside, you will notice colorful curtains at windows. It actually symbolizes the diversity of Kawasaki. The population itself is steadily growing, hitting 1.5 million as of April 2019. The latest technology, art, culture and nature attract a wide range of generations regardless of their nationality, age and gender.

Colorful curtains symbolize diversity in Kawasaki (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

Let’s walk around the building next. The location is fantastic for guests including runners and cyclists. You can get relaxed in front of Tama river. At the end of the day, an unforgettable beautiful night view waits for you on the other side of Haneda Airport.

Enjoy running along Tama river (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

Enjoy a night view of Haneda Airport (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

The first hotel run by hydrogen energy generated from plastic waste

The most unique selling point of the hotel is a clean energy solution. 30% of the electricity in the hotel is powered by hydrogen energy. It does not emit CO2 while generating power.

The hydrogen fuel system was implemented in partnership with Showa Denko, a Japanese electrochemical company. It has a unique chemical recycling technology. They produce ammonia by utilizing hydrogen produced through chemical recycling of used plastics. When finding other ways to make the most use of hydrogen, they came up with an idea of collaborating with the hotel.

This collaboration between the hotel and Showa Denko was selected as one of the projects of the Ministry of Environment in Japan.

Although there are already some other hotels that utilize hydrogen, Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu Rei Hotel is said to be the first hotel to adopt the following two systems.

The source plastics used for chemical recycling come from households in Kawasaki and the hotel. The hotel collects amenities such as hair and toothbrushes, apart from other garage and sends them to Showa Denko. The hotel can use hydrogen energy generated from their garage, so the hotel guests are a part of a circular system.

Amenity goods (Image: Tokyu Rei Hotel)

They also try to realize a much lower carbon society without using a truck that emits CO2. Instead of the conventional way of transporting hydrogen energy, they transfer energy through a 5-km direct pipeline from Showa Denko to a pure hydrogen type fuel cell outside the hotel.

The fuel cell has a capacity of generating 100kw per hour. It is equivalent to heating the water of 200 bathtubs, covering around 30% of the entire electricity of the hotel. This is a new model of producing hydrogen energy locally for local consumption.

Pure hydrogen type fuel cell outside the hotel (Image: Nagisa Mizuno)

As such, by just staying at the hotel, you will contribute to a more eco-friendly society. Why not go and see the clean energy facility, meet new people and enjoy a night view over a beer at Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu Rei Hotel?

(This interview was originally published on Zenbird Media.)