PR95856

LANCASTER, Calif., May 9, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

The City of Lancaster, California, announced today its partnership with Choshu

Industries Corp. of America (CICA), a Yamaguchi, Japan-based global leader in

R&D, solar energy power stations, environmental equipment, semiconductors and

hydrogen technology and power solutions. The partnership will initially seek to

integrate Choshu's "SHiPS," a containerized hydrogen production and refueling

station system, and "MizTomo," a stationary fuel cell power system, into the

City's Green Energy Microgrid (GEM) system.

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"Since the City of Lancaster announced its goal to become the first Hydrogen

City in the United States, we have made steady progress and today marks the

next phase of our vision," said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. "We are excited

to partner with Choshu Industries on our GEM system, which will add a hydrogen

backbone to the system's solar and battery capabilities, all driven by Choshu's

advanced artificial intelligence."

The "SHiPS" and "MizTomo" systems deployment represent the first projects of

Lancaster's partnership with Choshu. These systems can be scaled to extend the

City's hydrogen capacity to other sectors. Choshu and Lancaster will explore

additional opportunities to supply hydrogen to commercial users and to support

the city's fleet goal. "Lancaster has committed to having the first

all-hydrogen municipal fleet in the United States. We plan to replace

Lancaster's current fleet of passenger vehicles with new hydrogen vehicles as

leases on gas vehicles expire" said Parris. Additionally, Lancaster is engaged

with several hydrogen refueling station providers to develop a network of

passenger and heavy-duty vehicle stations.

The event was commemorated by the agreement signing at the official residence

of Japan Consul General Akira Muto in Los Angeles, and joined by CICA CEO Sean

Chigusa with greetings and congratulations from Tadashi Mogi, Deputy Minister

of METI Japan, Renewable Energy at METI Japan, Norihiko Saeki, Executive

Director of JETRO Los Angeles, Lex Heslin, Senior Project Developer of Hitachi

Zosen Inova, Takehito Yokoo, Senior Executive Engineer of Toyota Motor North

America, and Emily Desai, Deputy Director of International Affairs and Trade of

the State of California.

Parris is a fifth-term Republican mayor who transformed Lancaster into a

renewable energy leader over the past decade by attracting more than $2 billion

of investment in cutting-edge green companies and technologies. Investors

include BYD, which manufactures electric buses; Heliogen, which generates

hydrogen from concentrated solar energy; SGH2, which gasifies wastepaper into

hydrogen; and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), which converts organic waste into

renewable natural gas and hydrogen. The city also started its own utility

company, Lancaster Choice Energy, allowing residents to choose local renewable

energy at lower prices.

SOURCE: City of Lancaster, California

CONTACT: Jenn Seguin, +1-661-723-5987