Greeting from the
Director
Prof. Hiroyuki Uchida, Director
The Center was established on April 2001 to promote research on clean energy
for settling the global energy and environmental problems. It is under the
direct control of University of Yamanashi and consists of two research divisions
(division of fuel cell research, division of solar cells and environmental
science) and a guest research division.
Because of their high efficiency and low pollution levels, fuel cells have
been attracting much attention for the application to electric vehicles,
portable devices, residential uses or power plants. Accordingly there has
been worldwide competition on R&D of fuel cells. The Japanese government
has determined to place top priority on the fuel cell projects as one of
the most important forefront research areas for the future industry. On behalf
of the research centers in Japan, the Center promotes the leading project
gMaterials Development for Fuel Cells of Next Generationh in partnership
with several companies from 2003 for 5 years.
The division of solar cells and environmental science has carried out research
on low temperature plasma reaction and interstellar reaction and found out
that the interstellar reaction proceeds via low temperature tunneling reaction.
This finding is potentially applicable to low cost fabrication of large area
amorphous silicon for solar cells. The project is also being supported by
the government and developed under the cooperation with the industry.
As well as the research works, we participate in the education of undergraduate
and graduate students through the above forefront research activities.
Regardless of the size, fuel cell itself is a plant. Therefore we have to
establish gfuel cell scienceh which comprehends the related interdisciplinary
areas. The same could apply to the low temperature tunneling science. On
this account, the Center aims at
1) Promotion of basic science of fuel cells and solar cells and their systematization
2) Mutual development with other institutions and industries through cooperative
research
3) Training of young scientists related to clean energy technologies
Professor Hiroyuki Uchida, Director
