Tokyo, June 9, 2004 - (JCN Newswire) - In our daily lives, electricity is something we can utilize anytime with a flip of a switch to turn on water or air-conditioning. This issue will take a look at electrical energy, which we use everyday but don't generally think much about, and the environmental problems that arise.
Energy and Environmental Problems
Electricity that we use is mostly generated from thermal power of oil, coal and natural gas (approximately 59% of the 944 billion kWh, the total amount of electricity in the fiscal year ending March 2003.) There are clean forms of energy such as nuclear power generation, but due to various concerns it still only amounts to 31% of total electricity *1.
There are two problems in using fossil fuel. The first problem is that there is a finite limit. For example, if we keep on using oil it is said that in 40 years oil will run out. And the second problem concerns the environment. In thermal power stations and plants, by burning fossil fuel, it generates not only energy but also a huge amount of carbonic dioxide (CO2). This accelerates global warming, which is the cause of abnormal weather patterns. In other words, generating electricity directly connects to environmental disruption. At the "3rd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" held in 1997, Japan made a commitment to decrease greenhouse gases such as carbonic dioxide by 6% (compared to the amount in 1990) between 2008 and 2012. But 10 years after 1990 it has increased 7.9% according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. To achieve this commitment we cannot keep relying only on fossil fuel.
New Energy
1) Natural Energy
To take the place of fossil fuel, clean energy, or so-called new energy (energy defined as that which "has reached the implementation stage technologically speaking, but hasn't become wide spread as a result of economic issues" by the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy*2) has been attracting attention. What first comes to mind when you hear the words "new energy?" Well, there is "solar energy generation," in which you gain energy from nature. You have likely seen these solar batteries on roofs of houses and factories. Other than solar energy there is wind-generated energy, usage of solar heat and part of biomass (biological resources).
Demonstration experiments of solar energy generation and wind-generated energy have been performed and brought into practical use in various places. Both are superior energies, which do not generate materials that damage the environment, although these energies have not been as popular as expected (under 0.4% of total electricity in the fiscal year ending March 2003.) This is due to the fact that the cost is higher than for fossil fuel. Power generation cost per 1kWh for thermal power generation is about 6 yen. Compared to that, solar energy generation costs about 46 yen and for wind-generated energy about 10 yen.
From April 1st, 2004 the Japanese government imposed the "Renewable Portfolio Standard" to obligate electric power companies to use a specific amount of new energy. This law may favor the spread of the new energy. But on the other hand it is said that it might not spread as expected without stronger support, such as a stronger subsidy for installation that is already in place for solar energy generation, strengthening the power grip to levels seen in Europe and elsewhere.
*1 http://www.atom.meti.go.jp/siraberu/atom/05/index01k.html
*2 http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/energy/newenergy/newene01.htm
Available only in Japanese
2) Fuel Battery
Other than natural energy there is one other energy that is attracting attention. That is fuel batteries. When you think of batteries, you might think of the normal storage battery, but this battery is closer to a type of power unit. Electricity is fed using hydrogen as a fuel and bonding it with oxygen. In other words, water decomposed by an electric current creates electricity. There are systems installed which use these fuel batteries in factories and hospitals. In 2002, the world's first commercialized fuel battery automobile was shown in Japan. Fuel battery is a clean energy that generates not only electricity but also usable heat and discharges only water. But due to the cost it might be hard to popularize this energy anytime soon.
In the future, the spread of a co-generation (generation of two energies from one fuel-- in this situation heat and electricity) system for home use can be imagined. But because of the price (production cost of 2 million yen) it might be tough to introduce it in the near future.
This can also be said for fuel battery automobiles. Infrastructure such as hydrogen stations replacing the gasoline station will be necessary and the price of the automobile itself that costs a couple of hundred million yen is too expensive and must drastically go down for the spread of the fuel battery. Not just the support from the government but also new technologies developed by companies and universities will be needed to bring the cost down.
OMRON's Activities
OMRON has been selling electrical energy related products such as a type of protection equipment commercialized in 1986. This product connects the power company electricity line with the private power generation electricity line. It is particularly used for a co-generation system in which the energy efficiency is high. By using this protection equipment technology, Omron has released the "power conditioner" in 1993 that is a must for solar power generating equipment.
The power conditioner is a product that converts direct current electricity (DC) that is made from solar batteries to alternate current electricity (AC), which can be used in houses. Also it controls the connection to the electric device when selling the extra electric power to the power company. The newest model KP40F uses the electricity activation method that is capable of long-term usage from sun up to sun down. It also increases the total electricity generation efficiency and maintains a large share in the Japanese market as an industry top-level size reduced product. The industry is still small, although it is a critical product for the spread of new energy, so this product is not expected to see high growth potential.
The power conditioner is also used for a small type co-generation system using natural gas. Since the system has been simplified, compared to those existing products it realizes a reduced size and has been installed in places such as family restaurants and hotels where electricity and heat (hot water) are used.
Moreover, for controlling high DC voltage needed for fuel battery co-generation systems, the market demands a size reduced and quiet product. Responding to those demands, Omron has developed and commercialized a DC power relay "Type G9EA."
Contributing to the environment and accelerating new energy usage and energy saving, Omron will create various types of environment contributing products.
*OMRON's environmental activities
http://www.omron.com/corporate/about_omron/envir.html
Eco-products realized through technological innovation
These days companies are pursuing, through technological innovation, the generation of products that are kind on the environment. Hence, Omron utilized its technology to unleash LED related products capable of contributing to significant energy reduction.
Historically LED's have been used in light indicators or display screens for electronic equipment. Most recently LED’s can be found in automobile brake lamps and traffic signals, or even full-scale display screens such as large, outdoor television screens. Moreover, in 2010 the LED is expected to replace incandescent lamps and fluorescent bulbs in the home as the next-generation low energy consuming light source.
Compared to electric and fluorescent bulbs, the LED possess the following characterized: 1) Whereas only 5% of electrical input for a 100W electric bulb is converted into light, theoretically 100% is possible with an LED, meaning high light efficiency, 2) An LED features 1/10th as much energy consumption, 3) The service life of an LED is over 100,000 hours, far longer than that of electric or fluorescent bulbs, 4) The LED offers superior white or full color visibility via red, blue and green colors, 5) The LED realizes size, profile, and weight reduction.
Combining recent technological innovation with the many characteristics of the LED, it has become possible to achieve greater light efficiency, higher brightness, and reduced energy consumption.
OMRON's flat light LED, already beyond the developmental stage though not yet having reached commercialization, captures the vital characteristics of reduced size and long service life while realizing low profile, large surface area, and uniformity never before seen in conventional LED's. Specific applications include "wall-mounted light" in a room, mobile phone screen illumination, as well as the creation of products that don't yet exist in the world.
These days, energy conversation countermeasures, such as the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, are attracting attention. In Japan the practical application of the LED as a light source became the focus of a project initiated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 1998.
If every country, every company, and every individual is conscious of environmental activities like energy conversation, certainly society can expect to see progress. At OMRON, we are concentrating on the creation of energy conversation contributing LED's and other eco-products.
About OMRON
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation (TSE: 6645; NYSE: OMRNY) is a global leader in the field of automation. Established in 1933 and headed by President and CEO Hisao Sakuta, OMRON has more than 33,000 employees in over 32 countries working to provide products and services to customers in a variety of fields including industrial automation, electronic components, social systems (ticket gate machines, ticket vending machines and traffic control) and healthcare. The company is divided into five regions and head offices are in Japan (Kyoto), Asia Pacific (Singapore), China (Shanghai), Europe (Amsterdam) and US (Chicago). For more information, visit OMRON's website at www.omron.com
Contact:
OMRON Corporation
Corporate Brand Communications Department
Takayuki Nakamura
Christopher Udell
Tokyo
TEL: 81-3(3436)7139
takayuki_nakamura@omron.co.jp
christopher_udell@omron.co.jp
June 9, 2004
Source: OMRON
OMRON (TSE: 6645) (U.S: OMRNY)
From the Japan Corporate News Network
http://www.japancorp.net
Topic: Environmental Report
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