Hydrogen could be a “green” source of energy, but one of the many obstacles is the complexity of its storage and transportation. It’s a very explosive gas, but Toyota seems to have found a solution for its safe use.

Toyota and its subsidiary Woven Planet have developed a prototype portable hydrogen cartridge. Such a cartridge can be refilled at a specialized company, transported where needed, used and returned after receiving a new batch.

Relatively small cartridges will be about 40 cm long, up to 18 cm in diameter and weigh about 5 kg. The company says that these “portable, affordable and convenient energy sources” will help deliver hydrogen to where it is needed, without the use of pipes.

“Cartridges will be used for mobility [i.e. hydrogen cars], household applications, and many future possibilities we have yet to imagine, One hydrogen cartridge can generate enough electricity to run a typical home microwave for 3-4 hours,”the press release says.

Toyota admits that most hydrogen is made from fossil fuels, so it’s not exactly “green.” However, in this way, the company wants to reduce carbon emissions and help solve certain infrastructure problems. The concept is planned to be tested, in particular, in Woven City, a “human-centered smart city.” The company is also building a supply chain to simplify the production, transportation and daily use of hydrogen.