Nippon Oil to launch sales of household fuel cells

Japan-based Nippon Oil Corp. plans to begin full-scale sales of home-use fuel cell systems by March 31, 2010 by creating a dealership network in Japan comprising of 100 or so liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene sales agents. The Japanese government is expected to start subsidizing fuel cell installations in 2009 as a measure to reduce the country’s global warming gas emissions. By 2015, Nippon Oil hopes to lower the price of its household fuel cell systems to around ¥500,000 (US$5,446.21) and bolster their sales to 40,000 units a year. Aside from Nippon Oil, Idemitsu Kosan Co. and other Japanese companies plan to begin full-scale sales of home-use fuel cell systems in fiscal 2009. Idemitsu, which is also a major oil wholesaler, has been developing fuel cells jointly with the Toshiba Corp. (January 20, 2009)