GreenBusiness
PV Expo 2010 Big On Industrial Tech, Light On Consumer Solar Applications
Mar 17th, 2010
Posts Tagged ‘energy’
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Asia’s largest photovoltaic and solar cell exhibition, PV Expo 2010 once again drew huge crowds to Tokyo Big Sight (the same site where perhaps the world’s largest green exhibition, Eco-Products Japan, is held) last week, with roughly 570 companies and organizations participating in the photovoltaic industry event. (more…)
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The Green Energy Partnership, formed in 2008 to promote green energy, held a competition for posters and videos promoting green energy. The slogan: ‘Green Creative Contest – Let’s draw our future together!’
- This article has been translated by Ken from the original Japanese article by Takeshi Okahashi (November 18, 2009).
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Some rights reserved by Melissa Maples
With 2009 drawing to an end, greenz.jp would like to share eight great green party ideas. If you want to see how they work in practice, then come along to the Green Drinks Tokyo Xmas Special!
- This article was translated by Ken from the original Japanese post by YOSHI (Dec 14, 2009) (more…)
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Source: BBC News
The UK is about to send it’s first shipment of nuclear waste back to where it first came from – Japan. This is not the first batch to reach Japanese shores. Since 1995, 12 shipments of nuclear waste originating in Japan have already been returned from facilities in France. The UK shipment is due to arrive in Japan before the end of March, where there are already local storage facilities in place. The UK plant, Sellafield, is not only fulfilling contractual obligations from the 1970’s, but is returning the nuclear waste in accordance with international policy. (more…)
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Coming soon: The Sanyo eneloop music boosterMany music devices, such as amps, equalizers, and multi-track recorders operate on a 9V DC power source supplied by either AC adapters or dry-cell batteries. However AC adapters cannot run without an electrical outlet, and dry-cell batteries are often replaced and thrown out before they are fully exhausted to prevent an embarrassing power failure during a performance. In order to address this issue, Sanyo has created the ‘eneloop music booster’, a new high-capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery able to supply a stable and long lasting 9V power source for music devices. (more…)
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‘Kamiyosaku’ – the DIY paper log maker and paper logs. Photo by Kamiyosaku.
Previously, we introduced ‘O’BON’, a company that has been turning newspapers into colored pencils. Now we have another revolutionary way of recycling that ever-growing mountain of old newspapers.
‘Kamiyosaku’ – the DIY paper log maker is a new eco tool for recycling your unwanted newspapers into burnable logs, and just in time for winter, too! (more…)
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SustainableCommunity
Corporate social contribution a deciding factor for consumers: eneloop survey
Jan 8th, 2010
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by Simon Whitaker
The eneloop circle campaign we’ve talked about previously on greenz is just one way Sanyo is working for the environment through the eneloop brand. The campaign has accumulated over 300,000 points, meaning the third batch of eneloop lanterns are on their way to Uganda, to bring light to areas with no electricity. (more…)
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by Leo Reynolds
The first time I saw a wind turbine was from a train window when traveling through northern Europe some years back. We have started to be come accustomed to these windmills that we often see in groves lining the coasts, but still there is something so futuristic about them.
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EarthNews
No Nukes and No MOX Fuel. 11 Year Old Starts Petition Against Pluthermal Power.
Nov 30th, 2009
Part of the ‘children’s petition to stop pluthermal use’ stating the dangers of using the extremely toxic plutonium rich MOX fuel, and asking for a future where children and other living beings can live in peace.We caught wind of a child in Ehime conducting a petition against the local nuclear power station switching to plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, known locally as ‘pluthermal’. The image above shows part of a handwritten petition penned by the eleven-year-old child. It is addressed to the chairperson of the Ehime Prefectural Assembly.
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SustainableCommunity
Local Street-side Mechanic Pioneers The Future of Transportation: Hydrogen Motorbikes
Nov 23rd, 2009
Recently, ‘eco-cars’ have become all the rage. But the reality is, most of them still run on gasoline. ‘Is there really no other fuel that doesn’t have such an impact on the environment?’ you ask. There is, and that fuel is hydrogen.
Hydrogen, atomic number 1, atomic symbol H. Crude oil, from which gasoline is made, also contains a lot of hydrogen. Even the universe itself in ¾ hydrogen!
And if you burn hydrogen, you end up with… water! So you can envisage an energy cycle that goes something like this: water – hydrogen – water.
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by vitroidCorporations cannot afford to ignore such an amazing element. Toyota and Honda have already come up with ‘fuel cell vehicles’ that run off electricity made from hydrogen, and Mazda has announced two new hybrid vehicles that use existing engines to run off a combination of gasoline and hydrogen. These work on the same theory as regular gasoline engines, using the explosion from igniting hydrogen to power the engine.
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by tsukubajinWhile hydrogen is very light, it must be highly compressed in order to be of practical use. Compressing hydrogen requires a lot of energy in itself, and storage tanks must be strong enough to withstand this huge pressure, so it can’t be carried around and used as easily as gasoline. Currently the tanks alone cost upwards of several million yen each.
So, the problem with hydrogen is storage. Even so, there is still an amazing way of using hydrogen to get around in Japan, and it has been developed not by a large corporation, but a local mechanic. That is the hydrogen motorbike.
These bikes are being developed at ‘Inoue Boring’, an engine maintenance garage in small industrial area in Kawagoe, Saitama.
I just bought a tank of hydrogen, and shoved it into the carburetor, and the engine ran
…explains the manager, Sotaro Inoue.
Inoue has long been infatuated with 2-stroke engines. However as they were being phased out due to the dirty exhaust they produce, he started looking for an alternative fuel source. Hydrogen, which when burnt produces water, was an obvious choice. Because 2-stroke engines burn oil with the fuel, if a plant-based oil is used, the environmental impact will be reduced even more, explains Inoue.
Inoue Boring is currently developing a hydrogen motorbike, 2-stroke, of course.
The immediate goal is to have the throttle control the engine speed accordingly. For this to work, the timing of the release of hydrogen, and the spark must be synchronized, something they are just succeeding in doing. This will enable smooth acceleration, and deceleration.When the greenz editors visited Inoue Boring, he gave us a short demonstration, which you can see in the clip below.
To enable easy removal, the bike is designed to accommodate an Iwatani hydrogen tank as is.
Inoue says entering the bike in a race is his long-term dream. The future of transportation is being developed right here on the street corner, with no support from large corporations, the government, or universities.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post -
GreenBusiness
The Beginners Guide to Renewable Hydrogen! 10 reasons How It Can Change The World (2)
Nov 18th, 2009
Continued from part 1
Now we know WHY renewable hydrogen (RH2) is necessary, let’s take a look at just HOW this amazing energy source can benefit our world.
Enter domestically produced, sustainable energy RH2!
In a nutshell, RH2 shows the way to a more positive society, where competition for energy disappears → wars disappear → poverty and refugees disappear → everyone becomes happy!
Let’s take a look at 10 reasons RH2 will change the world.*1 An RH2 society can produce it’s own sustainable energy locally
→ This is the fundamental strength of RH2*2 An RH2 society is local, not centralized
→ Energy will become de-centralized, just as the internet has allowed the decentralization and activation of grass roots media*3 An RH2 society brings politics closer
→ With vested interest in energy gone, politics will become more open*4 An RH2 society will need fewer thermal power and nuclear power stations
→ If enough energy can be produced, large scale power stations will become redundant*5 An RH2 society will have fewer wars
→ Petroleum and natural gas, two of the major causes of conflicts, will not longer need to be fought over*6 An RH2 society will have fewer refugees and less poverty
→ Fewer wars means fewer people displaced by wars*7 An RH2 society will have cleaner air
→ Hydrogen is a valuable energy source that can replace gasoline, and other polluting fossil fuels*8 An RH2 society can make every car in the world an eco-car
→ Even old cars can have their engines converted to run off hydrogen*9 An RH2 society will provide more green jobs
→ New businesses will create work to deal with environmental issues*10 An RH2 society will create a positive shift in awareness
→ With no need to worry about competing for limited resources, people will become more relaxed and content. This is the most important thing
The two-minute guide to RH2So, the introduction to RH2 has become a little long, but we have come up with a ‘Two minute guide to RH2’ to wrap things up. Please check it out.
(Support: Kaneko Store)Thanks for sticking with me so far!
Now, while RH2 sounds like a miracle, there are setbacks along with all the positive aspects. Cost and safety issues must still be overcome to make it viable. However the important thing is that this isn’t some fantastical image of the future – the technology is available to achieve this now.
As an NPO, researching case studies and collecting data, and bringing together professionals and researchers of hydrogen and other natural energies are two ways of promoting RH2. If you’re interested, we are looking for people to help spread the word about RH2! People are writing in with such messages as ‘wouldn’t it be a dream come true if amusement parks ran on RH2? It’s perfect for merry-go-rounds, and for teaching kids about energy too’.
We look forward to hearing from you, too, and cooperating to create an RH2 future together!
This article is translated from the original Japanese text
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GreenBusiness
The Beginners Guide to Renewable Hydrogen! 10 reasons How It Can Change The World (1)
Nov 16th, 2009
There are so many things that can change the world: ‘green jobs will change the world’, ‘change money and change the world’, ‘open source programs will change the world’… what else can you think of that can change the world?
At greenz, we believe that changing the paradigm in the energy industry could be the fundamental solution to many of the problems that the world face today. And so one energy source that has caught our attention is renewable hydrogen (aka. RH2). Several members of the greenz team have set up the NPO Renewable Hydrogen Network to promote RH2 through various projects.
Hydrogen itself has yet to become well know, and if you put an ‘R’ before it, even fewer people will know what you’re talking about. Read on to find out what RH2 is, and why it can change the world.
So, what is hydrogen, and how can it be renewable?
Hydrogen (atomic symbol: H) is the lightest, and most common element in the universe. Many things around us contain hydrogen, including water (H2O), propane (C3H8), and ammonia (NH3). In fact even the sun’s energy is made through the nuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium.
Hydrogen can store energy, and produce it. It’s becoming an ever more popular energy source, and can be used in place of gasoline to power cars. If there was enough hydrogen, we could even heat public baths with it!
Used as a fuel, it produces only energy and water, and a minute amount of nitrogen, making it an environmentally friendly source of energy. But it’s also important not to forget the renewable part too. RH2 must be produced by renewable means such as solar or geothermal, and not nuclear or fossil fuels.
The inconvenient truth about a fossil fuel society
Now for some trivia about fossil fuels. Did you know that natural gas is imported to Tokyo from the Arctic? According to an NHK documentary, a race has begun to exploit natural gas deposits newly accessible as the polar ice cap melts due to global warming. That natural gas is then brought to Yokohama, from where it is used to supply homes in Tokyo.
Second, do you know the real price of gasoline? According to one survey, around 150 trillion yen is spent on reducing the price of gasoline – in other words, to cover hidden costs. That means our tax money is being used to support a fossil fuel dependent society.
Energy is indispensable for life. However, the limited sources of energy, such as nuclear or fossil fuel, can be said to be one major cause of conflicts. If we continue to bring natural gas all the way from the Arctic, and support petroleum companies by subsidizing gasoline, we will keep using more and more energy, thereby increasing climate change on a global scale. Now is the time to move away from fossil fuels.
Continued in part 2: the 10 reasons why RH2 will change the world.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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GreenBusiness
Green Living Tips. Direct Current Supply gives you more power for your solar hour
Nov 4th, 2009
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by 416styleDid you know that PV (photovoltaic / solar) power is the most common source of clean energy generated in homes? While this may be a well known fact, I’m not sure how many people are aware of the percentage of electricity lost when powering electric systems from these household PV cells. Recently, a group including Tohoku University, NEC/Tokin, Sumitomo Corporation, and Sekisui House has succeeded in demonstrating a new, more efficient supply system. The key to their success is direct current supply.
Usually, power supplies to households are AC (Alternating Current). PV systems, on the other hand produce DC (Direct Current) charge. Therefore, the current must be converted to AC in order to be used in the home. However, in many cases, the appliances themselves use DC, and so require an AC adaptor in order to run off mains electricity. Where PV systems are concerned, this means the current must be converted twice (from DC to AC to match the supply, then back to DC to power the appliance), resulting in a loss of over 20% of power.
Tohoku Electric Power Co. used DC supply systems in order to reduce these losses. DC supply systems themselves are not uncommon, and the technology is gaining popularity due to its energy efficiency. Data centers, and other facilities that use large amounts of electricity are making increasing use of this technology.
The latest demonstration has combined PV cells with a DC supply system, creating a more efficient, greener energy system. According to the Tohoku University research team, using a 1kW PV cell to supply DC compatible appliances can reduce domestic CO2 emissions by around 40%. With dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions hard to come by these days due to limits in technology and resources, these small-scale developments and reductions are ever more important.
DC power supply may remind you of something from high school chemistry, but this new eco keyword is something to keep in mind for your environmentally friendly future.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post. -
ACEEE Map of State Energy Efficiency Scorecard ResultsAccording to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) survey (2008), California topped the list of US states in energy efficiency policy. With Oregon taking second place, and Washington coming in at number six, all three west coast states made the top 10.
Evaluation criteria include whether energy consumption is being kept in check, whether electricity demand is being met, whether measures against global warming are in place, and whether contribution to the energy security of the US is being made, amongst other things. A ‘US City Sustainability Ranking’ was also conducted by a ‘SustainLane’, a US portal site with around 100,000 members that serves as a guide to sustainable living. According to this research, the 2008 ranking put Portland (Oregon) in first, San Fransisco (California) second, and Seattle (Washington) third – the top three places all going to west coast cities as in the last survey in 2006.
SustainLane US City Ranking homepageThe city ranking criteria is based on 15 areas including urban planning, air and water quality, use of public transport, availability of housing, climate change and energy policy, and local agriculture. With two different surveys with different criteria both showing the west coast at the top of the list, it’s safe to say the west coast leads the US in terms of environmental sustainability.
So, what about Japan?
As previously covered by greenz, Brand Research Institute, Inc. has released an ‘Environmental Action Prefecture Ranking’.
Brand Research Institute Environmental Action Prefecture RankingAccording to this ranking, Nagano takes first place, with Kyoto and Tokyo in second and third respectively, leading one blogger to comment that the criteria are favorable to urban areas. For example Kochi, which has the dishonor of coming in last, is actually a major producer of many agricultural products such as Chinese chives, ginger, eggplant, capsicum, and shishito. However, this relationship with nature seems to be missing from the evaluation criteria.
The Chiba University Research Center on Public Affairs for Sustainable Welfare Society along with the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies have set up a sustainable energy zone research group to run ‘Sustainable Energy Zones’. Here natural energy supply for 2007 has been surveyed in the Prefectural Ranking.
Sustainable Energy independence (2007)According to this, Oita comes in first with a natural energy independence rate of 31.4%, with Akita and Toyama following in second and third with 18.3% and 17.7% respectively. Looking down the list, Nagano, which topped the other ranking comes in at 29th place with 2.9% independence. Kyoto, second place in the other ranking is 41st here, with 1.0%, and Tokyo stands out at the bottom of the list with a natural energy independence rate of just 0.2%, highlighting the difference between the two surveys.
In addition, the Japan Research Institute conducts an Environmentally Friendly Municipality Ranking, and a group of 11 environmental NGOs have ranked municipalities on their environmental policies in the ‘Eco Capital Contest’. With the latest survey results from 2003 and 2006 respectively, the data is a little old, but the former has Mie in the top spot, with Tokyo and Shiga in second and third respectively, and the latter with Kitakyushu (Fukuoka) first, followed by Minamata (Kumamoto) and Shinshiro (Aichi) in second and third. Once again, there is little connection between the surveys.
This disparity in results may be simply because there is no single municipality that stands out in terms of environmental friendliness. However, it also leaves us hoping for not only a wider spread of environmental policies, but also better indicators to rate environmental friendliness.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post -
While electrically assisted bicycles are gaining popularity, it’s easy to take for granted just how eco friendly this combination of electric and human power is. While cycling long distances, and up slopes takes a lot of energy, electric bikes make this possible with little effort, no exhaust, and no use of fossil fuels.
While this makes electric bikes perfect for commuting to work or school, there have been challenges to be overcome in past models.
The first is distance. With an average range of around 40km, many electric bikes won’t last an hour commute in to work, and then back again.The second is power. Under road traffic law, the maximum ratio of electric to human power is 1:1 (the amount of power supplied electrically can not exceed human power). This means a weak person will still face difficulty in cycling up a steep hill.
However the latest ‘hybrid bicycle’ from eneloop, the ‘eneloop bike’ has overcome these challenges by using regenerative breaking (loop charging) enabling a maximum range of 100km. It also takes advantage of a change in the road traffic law enabling a human to electric power ration of 1:2. Regenerative breaking allows the motor to act as a generator to create electricity when braking or traveling down a hill. This allows a greater range by saving electricity.
The eneloop bike makes enjoying cycling over long distances that much more fun. Other makers and models are also improving technology, allowing greater range.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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SustainableCommunity
Tempura oil collecting robots! Tottori city’s unique project begins
Sep 28th, 2009
Some Rights Reserved. Photo by jetaloneWe all love tempura, but making it at home can be such a hassle. But starting from now on we should all definitely do it homemade. I mean, now we can the left over oil to get points!
That is because there is a new tempura oil collecting robot! Started in February, Tottori city began a project to reuse old cooking oils such as tempura oil for to conserve and raise environmental awareness. As a pilot project for the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, Tottori will begin a demonstration-of-concept experiment that will involve many groups such as citizens, city workers, oil reclamation workers, and a employees of a software company. The “person” in charge is a robot named Yukai-kun. And actually, he is pretty smart.Yukai-kun No.1, who began this round of the experiment, was set up in the Tottori city community center. When a participating member passes their member’s card through the machine, the well secured Yukai-kun opens his automatic door for oil to be poured in. Data regarding the reclamation of oil is uploaded via the Internet in real time, and when Yukai-kun is full he sends and automatic notification that he needs to be emptied. People related to the project say that system is a highly efficient and waste-less.
What is the greatest part for the members is the point system. When the members pour oil into Yukai-kun they rack up points. The points will be able to be used for all sorts of benefits. Members can manage their points with a computer or cell phone with a handy website.
This discarded and then reclaimed cooking can be heat treated and then processed to be used in make up or purified for bio-fuel for buses or trucks. Now, in Tottori there are cars from a car-sharing program and city buses that use this reclaimed oil, and from now on people who use Yukai-kun can use the points to ride the buses and use the ride share program cars. The town says it has many more plans for strengthening programs that have an eye for making a sustainable society.
Reclaiming dirty oil and such may seem like a hardship of days long past, I think, but using a networking system like this can make it a convenient and fun process. That is the kind of future the people in Tottori city are envisioning and actualizing with their discarded-oil-reclaiming robot. Now there are plans to put other Yukai-kuns in supermarkets throughout the city and the city plan to seek, within next year, over 10 thousand members to participate in their proof-of-concept experiment.
The day is coming pretty soon when it will be totally normal to bring our used oil to the super market, along with our plastic bottles and paper milk boxes, I think.We hope that the giant step forward that is beginning in Tottori will soon reach us all.
This article has been translated from the original Japanese post -
SustainableCommunity
3290% Energy Self-Sufficient! Sustainable energy zones in our back yard
Sep 11th, 2009
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by gtknjAt greenz, renewable energy has long been a hot topic. With new technology constantly being developed, it seems that possibilities are forever expanding. However, the day that we can supply all of societies energy needs by renewable energy alone still appears a long way off. Saying that, if we look at specific zones, it seems as though this elusive future may already be here.
So, what exactly are these so called ‘Sustainable Energy Zones’?
‘Sustainable energy zone’ is a phrase coined by a research group lead by Chiba University professor Hidefumi Kurasaka, and refers to ‘a zone where all energy requirements can be met by renewable, natural energy created within that zone’.
In this case, renewable energy refers to photovoltaic (solar), wind, geothermal, biomass, and small-scale hydro, and the ratio of supply in respect to demand is referred to as the supply rate. If the supply rate is more than 100%, the area is classified as a sustainable energy zone.
Currently, while classification criteria is limited to electricity only, there are 76 municipalities in Japan that are classed as sustainable energy zones (as of July 2007).
The top five are:#1 Yanaizu Town, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Prefecture
Supply rate: 3290%
Main source: Geothermal#2 Kokonoe Town, Kusu District, Oita Prefecture
Supply rate: 3123%
Main source: Geothermal
#3 Kuni Village, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture
Supply rate: 1333%
Main source: Small-scale hydro
#4 Higashidoori Village, Shimokita District, Aomori Prefecture
Supply rate: 1269%
Main source: Wind
#5 Itsuki Village, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture
Supply rate: 907%
Main source: Small-scale hydro(From the Sustainable Zone ‘List of 100% Energy Sustainable Zones’)
The extremely high supply rates of the top two zones, Yanaizu in Fukushima, and Kokone in Oita with supply rates of over 3000% are due to large scale geothermal generators built in the zone. However overall 70% of the zones have small-scale hydroelectric plants (in-stream units under 10MW), signifying just how well suited the geography in Japan is for small-scale hydroelectric generation.
Before you jump to the conclusion that the answer to Japans renewable energy worries has arrived, let’s take a closer look at the concept of sustainable energy zones, and exactly what supply rates indicate.
I believe there are two problems with this notion of sustainable energy zones. First is the problem of scale. Here we are looking at individual municipalities, however when considering prefectures as a whole, the highest rate is Oita at 30.8%, with only 9 prefectures totaling above 10%. As a whole, Japans renewable energy supply rate is a mere 3.35%. Therefore, this amazing supply rate of 3290% is only possible when looking at individual municipalities.
The second problem, which is related to the first, is the relationship between the supply rate and actual measures taken by the municipalities. In many cases, the high supply rate is not a result of energy measures taken by the municipality, but rather an outside power company having chosen that site for development. Therefore having a high supply rate does not necessarily mean the area has advanced electricity measures in place, and there is no point labeling a municipality good or bad based solely on this figure.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that sustainable energy zones exist, and if we take the idea of supply rates and expand it to other contexts, maybe we can find potential advanced electricity zones here in Japan. If the right measures are implemented in these zones, a model can be created, and emulated elsewhere.
For simplicities sake, let’s take a look at the top two municipalities, Yanaizu in Fukushima, and Kokone in Oita. Both areas have abundant natural hot springs. One can easily link hot springs with geothermal power generation. Now if we brought together geothermal power generation as an industry, and hot springs as a tourist attraction, could we not create an energy self-sufficient community?
For example, an electric train could run from the geothermal plant to each of the hot springs, and vehicles with gasoline engines could be banned from the hot spring area, keeping all transport electric. Zermatt in Switzerland has already proven the possibility of limiting transportation in a tourist area to electric, and policies such as this can increase the overall value of the area as a tourist destination.
The important thing is not just to say ‘wow, some places have such an abundance of renewable energy’, but consider how we can use this to create a sustainable society. This will give new importance to these numbers and what they indicate.
Maybe the first step can be a geothermal powered hot spring resort!This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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Creative Commons, Some Rights Reserved, Photo by dsephotos2008
There are many of us who have suffered the inconvenience of our mobile phone running out of batteries when out and about. Some people get round this problem by carrying around a portable mobile phone charger, but this solution isn’t perfect either as they are often battery-operated and run out of juice.
Au has attempted to resolve this by developing a phone that can be charged by leaving it out in the sun. Made by Sharp, empty batteries can be charged up to 1 minute talk time or 2 hours standby time from just 10 minutes charging. Overseas, similar phones are already on the market from companies like Samsung but this is the first time in Japan, with a waterproof function as an added bonus.
While charging phones with solar energy is a fantastic concept, if we are going to meet the energy needs of our phones with re-useable energy, we may as well have some kind of electricity generating system set up in our homes, with which we could have as stable source or power generation to charge things up.
There are various types of solar phone charger on the market in the form of phone straps and other, but at present no company or manufacturer has created a solar recharging phone product in its own right. If they are serious about generating power for mobile phones through re-usable energy, rather than a concept model wouldn’t it be better to come up with some practical system?
There’s no doubt that Japanese consumers demand a catchy concept model rather than a full-blown practical system. However rather than bowing to the demands of consumers, in order to build a sustainable society we need companies to deliver essential products.
With the buoyancy of DoCoMo, NTT have avoided the economic downturn and recorded the highest operating income of any company in March 2009. If they are so well heeled, rather than pouring money into an image strategy, perhaps it would better if they invested in the development of products with real practical worth. Mobile phones are “daily goods” held by most of the Japanese population. From here, there is so much potential for building a sustainable society and educating consumers. Whether or not the solar mobile phone can become a corner stone on which to build a sustainable future very much depends on developments within the Industry.This article has been translated from the original Japanese post
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by mayhem
Experiments with hydrogen-powered buses with a view to introducing them on public roads are taking place around Europe, and also in The U.S and Brazil, and in some places are already realities. And finally, buses that run on hydrogen fuel are making their mark in Japan. Introducing hydrogen fuel into buses puts real environmental improvements within reach. Let’s have a look at the come-uppance of hydrogen buses and environmental improvements in Japan.
First and foremost, this Hydrogen-fueled Bus (Hydrogen Automobile) is different from a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. While the latter uses hydrogen to produce electricity which is then used to power the vehicle, the former directly combusts hydrogen to make the vehicle run. The great thing about it is that rather than developing a completely new system, simply modifying the gasoline engine is enough, coupled with the fact that it doesn’t require the rare metals that batteries need.
However, it is not without its problems, namely the presence of Nitrous Oxide (NOx) in exhaust fumes, safety issues related to hydrogen fuel, and the production method of the fuel.
The debut of Hydrogen Buses in Japan was not due to a public organization, but Tokyo City University Formed last year in April with the unification of Musashi Technical College and Tokyoko Gakuen, it had for over 30 years in its previous entity as Musashi Technical College been involved with the development of the “Hydrogen Autombile”. This time, in collaboration with Hino Motors,Ltd. their efforts to implement the hydrogen bus have paid off. A number plate was acquired on passing the technical review of the Japan Automobile Research Institute, and the plan is that in the near future hydrogen buses will be used as shuttle buses between campuses.
Experiments with hydrogen buses on public roads are being implemented by public organizations in Germany and Iceland, and there is a good reason why hydrogen fuel is being eagerly introduced into buses. Road buses tend to move along at a slow pace, with a lot of stops and starts. Such a short starting and stopping cycle burns a lot of fuel, and worse yet runs on diesel with its large volume of NOx exhaust fumes. As a result, the impact on the environment has been reduced.
In fact, this new hydrogen bus gives way to massive optimism for environmental improvements given that it reduces the amount of exhaust gases to approx. one 90th of what they were before, with zero carbon dioxide. Added to this is the fact that road buses don’t drive at high speeds and only run on limited routes. As their optimal speed is not very high, the demerit that applies to hydrogen cars whereby they need a hydrogen station to refuel at, does not apply to buses. Furthermore, the fact that hydrogen fuel requires a larger amount of space in the tank than in gasoline engines to ensure safety, is not an issue as it is much easier to get such an amount of space in a bus, in contrast to a private car.
I may be giving the impression that it’s all a bed of roses but there are problems, most notably, the fuel issue. At present hydrogen fuel is generated mainly from natural gases, which results in consuming fossil fuels and the expulsion of greenhouse gases. Also, that it is said to cost 5-6 times as much as diesel. To resolve these issues means finding a completely new method of producing hydrogen, and to this end Tokyo City University is planning to extract hydrogen from waste gases generated by factories.
If this can be achieved then surely the hydrogen bus can stake its claim as a here for the environment. Go for it, Tokyo City Uni!!
This article has been translated from the original Japanese post
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GreenBusiness
Make your own energy with Home Electricity Generating and Non-Exhaust Heat System “ENEFARM”
Jul 24th, 2009
“From Houses that Use Energy to Houses that Make It”
“Enefarm” is a home usage fuel battery system that uses hydrogen retrieved from Tokyo municipal gas to create electricity and hot water. So, just how environmentally effective is?
Firstly, I will explain the Enefarm set-up, and I’d like you to think about its effect on the environment.
Enefarm Set-up (1) Make Your Electricity and Hot Water at HomeConventionally, the electricity that we use travels a great distance to our homes from a power station miles away. (Nuclear Power stations in particular are situated in the middle of nowhere) A lot of energy is lost in the process, and useable energy is just 37% of primary energy. Enefarm greatly reduces this distance through generating electricity at home. In addition, through co-generation it collects exhaust head given off during generation. As a result, 80% of energy of primary energy can be effectively used as electricity (33%) and heat (47%). Heat is used for hot water and floor heating.
Enefarm Set-up (2) Generating Electricity through Chemical Reaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen
Enefarm retrieves hydrogen from Tokyo municipal gas, and causes a chemical reaction with oxygen in the air with electricity generating fuel batteries.
Methane, the main component of Tokyo Gas is an extremely hydrogen-rich fossil fuel, with 4 hydrogen atoms for every 1 carbon atom.However, Tokyo Gas also contains sulfur so that it a leak can be quickly detected by its pungent odor. In the process of making Hydrogen, in addition to CO2, a minute amount of sulfur oxide (SOx) is also created.
(Tokyo Gas intend to change the composition of sulfur additive in order to reduce sulfur content by half).Enefarm Set-up (3) Visualization through Remote Control
The remote control panel displays in real-time the amount of electricity generated, hot water level, amount of power purchased, and volume of CO2 reduction. You can compare this month’s electricity consumption volume with last month.Environmental Effects Expected of Enefarm, and Issues
The three systems mentioned above all contribute to increased energy usage rate, and decreased CO2 emission volume. (3) raises eco awareness and may also contribute to reduced C02 emission volumes in places outside the home. Presumably it is also good for children’s environmental education.
According to Tokyo Gas, assuming a typical household (Detached house, 4 residents, total floor space 150㎡) using one Enefarm unit for one year would reduce C02 emissions by approximately 1.5 tons. This volume of C02 equates to roughly the amount absorbed by roughly 3,300m2 of beech trees. This calculates out to roughly 7 months worth of the average carbon dioxide emissions of one normal household car.What I want to stress here is that Enefarm does not amount to zero emissions. Because electricity is generated by a reverse electrolysis process in water, at the point of generation, the only other thing created apart from electricity and heat, is water. However, C02 is emitted in the process of extracting the necessary hydrogen from Tokyo Gas. Put simply, if the amount of electricity consumed increases, so too does the amount of C02. In this respect it differs from other energy source-using electricity generating systems such as solar or wind power generation.
There is one other element to bear in mind when considering the Eco influence of Enefarm. That is, the use of heat. The Eco-fundament of Enefarm is its use of exhaust heat. As outlined in set-up (1), if it wasn’t using exhaust heat, the energy usage rate of Enefarm would drop right down to 33%, and would waste a lot more energy than existing systems. This is why houses that use heat for baths, hot water radiators and floor heaters have a high energy saving rate, and low CO2 emissions. That said, if you increase heat usage too much and you end up using conventional systems for back up.Cost Performance of Enefarm
Currently, one Enefarm unit costs approximately 3.5 million yen.
Fuel and cost bills will go down, and there is a special gas fee plan available for Enefarm users. Subsidiary aid from the government also applies. Despite this, redemption of costs at time of purchase is difficult.
Enefarm makes up for approximately 60% of electricity used in a home. When demand for electricity is high, it can be used in conjunction with existing systems. However, it is not possible to use heat created during power generation in other facilities.
Due to restrictions of the Electric Utility Industry Law, usage must be stopped during a power cut.
Enefarm still has scope for improvement if the potential of fuel batteries is to be realized to its full potential. I’m looking forward to the next breakthrough.
This article has been translated from the original Japanese post
