Hydrogen and solar energy are changing the way tires are manufactured. Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has started producing tires using hydrogen and solar energy at its Shirakawa factory in Fukushima, Japan.
This initiative follows the completion of the trial period, a project that began in August 2021. The company announced that, every year, the factory will be able to produce 10,350 tons of tires of different types . In this regard, the tire manufacturer aims to expand hydrogen work to all processes at the Shirakawa plant.
At the same time, it began planning to integrate hydrogen into other factories in Japan and abroad. The system includes a hydrogen boiler and solar panels installed in the factory. These generate steam for tire production. The steam operates a high-precision Neo-T01 metal core production system developed by the company.
Hydrogen’s potential goes far beyond tires, but there are downsides.
For years, electricity has been the star of sustainability, resulting in strong incentives, such as electric car purchase programs. However, technological advances are allowing hydrogen to take center stage. Faced with a difficult landscape and the constant search for more sustainable proposals, hydrogen is a hopeful solution.
We see it in the progress of hydrogen cars, but also in the tires of Sumitomo Rubber, whose influence continues to grow. However, there is still some time before it becomes fully established. It still has to overcome a number of disadvantages:
- Storage and transportation. One of its drawbacks is that it is difficult to store and transport it efficiently. Due to its low energy density, it occupies a lot of space, requiring expensive and complex infrastructure.
- Difficulty of production. Hydrogen does not exist naturally in large quantities on earth, so it must be produced by methods such as natural gas reforming or water electrolysis. These two processes consume a lot of energy and can generate greenhouse gas emissions if renewable energy sources are not used.
- Complexity of safe use. This is a highly flammable material and can pose a safety risk if not handled correctly. Its combustion can be explosive under certain conditions, implying the need for safe storage and handling systems to avoid accidents.
- Infrastructure. Currently, the infrastructure needed to supply hydrogen is sorely lacking. In particular, there is a shortage of service stations to refuel hydrogen cars and a lack of distribution networks to transport it to end consumers.
- High production cost. The cost of producing and using hydrogen is high.
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Sumitomo Rubber North America has a new corporate account manager.
Sumitomo Rubber North America, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, has made another important announcement. Bob Klimm started at SRNA in 2009 and has led Falken’s heavy-duty tire business since 2015. He is now director of corporate accounts. In this new role, he will focus his efforts on supporting the growth and success of SRNA’s core enterprise accounts.
“With over 40 years of experience in the tire industry, Bob is well-equipped to lead these efforts for our organization,” says Toby Beiner, SRNA’s chief financial officer. He added: “We look forward to leveraging Bob’s leadership and business experience to help SRNA continue its growth in 2024 and beyond.”
The company has ambitious plans and could soon return with new proposals that are as exciting as they are sustainable.