Global Warming Countermeasures and “Smart Energy Grid”

Global warming is caused by an increase in carbon dioxide emissions, and it seems that the average temperature has risen by 1 degree since the industrial revolution. Despite the fact that it is only one degree, it is a cause of great danger such as recent storms and floods, droughts, and wildfires. Moreover, if left unchecked, the average temperature is said to rise by 4.5 degrees in the 2080s.

Therefore, global warming countermeasures were called for. Globally, the Paris Agreement was a major turning point, and on October 26, 2020, then-Prime Minister Kan said in his policy speech, "We aim to realize a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society by 2050." Here, it is thought that the tide in Japan has changed in earnest.

 

In this declaration, Japan clearly set global warming countermeasures as a switch that will lead to full-fledged economic growth and social change. In fact, measures accompanied by bold structural changes and social reforms were taken, and bold budgetary measures were also taken. As a result, the conventional perception of "global warming countermeasures that increase costs" has changed completely, and the direction of global warming countermeasures has become clear as a way to reduce costs and create a smart society through social reform. I was.

This is also a revolution in energy use. It has become clear that users themselves can obtain great benefits by selecting the optimal energy usage environment, investing in it, and utilizing it. Global warming countermeasures use renewable energy as the main power source, and its raw materials are basically free. Technological innovation will reduce the cost of generating and using renewable energy.

If we change our mindset here and act with the awareness that instead of simply buying energy from energy companies, we will create and use it ourselves, and sometimes sell it, energy will become a source of income and improve people's lives. It will be a useful tool. For example, you can use an empty house in the suburbs or the countryside and provide your own electricity. If the company you belong to mainly conducts web conferences, moving is an option. On Saturdays and Sundays, we will enjoy DIY and rural life, and on the other hand, we will be able to rent farmland, implement solar power generation, and sell electricity. In 2050, the world may be divided into two groups: those who can use energy wisely, safely and inexpensively, and those who just bear the cost of energy.

In order to realize a decarbonized society as a countermeasure against global warming, we will reduce the use of fossil fuels and switch to the use of renewable energy. A single person can only handle a limited amount of private power generation and consumption. Therefore, we will create an environment that integrates with the region and can accommodate energy. To that end, energy visualization and predictive control are necessary.

This will constitute a circular society. We will create a "smart energy grid" consisting of energy management that produces energy ourselves, bold energy conservation management in cooperation with local communities, and garbage management that uses energy when processing waste generated from the region. increase.

Benefits of adapting to smart energy

What kind of benefits can we get in an environment that uses this smart energy? According to the power generation cost estimate for 2020 and 2030 announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the price of nuclear power generation and solar power generation in 2020 will be almost the same, but in 2030 solar power will be considerably cheaper. Furthermore, in the case of in-house power generation and in-house consumption, there is no renewable energy surcharge, and if power distribution is not required, there is no cost, so it is very profitable.

A new type of solar cell is under development with a target price of 15,000 yen per kW by 2025. If it is put into practical use, the installation cost of solar power generation will be reduced to less than half. If the local energy grid is properly installed, it will be a very safe area. In addition to disaster prevention, the visualization of the region will realize the smartization of various services. Infrastructure management, crime prevention measures, pick-up/delivery, etc. will become more comfortable and convenient with lower costs.

How do smart energy adaptations work? Until now, we tend to think that this is the job of general affairs. In modern society, it is fundamentally required to conduct business that responds to ESG, and it is a business strategy. Of course, you don't have to be an energy researcher. Let's change our way of thinking and consider what we should do in response to ESG.

In addition, we identify the benefits that we want to obtain in the future from the use of energy and what will occur in self-consumption of energy. We will select issues, collaborate with partners, verify cases from other places, set implementation requirements, and design an outline. Then, organize the issues and set countermeasures.

At the same time, it is a good idea to conduct a comparative study between the current situation and the set requirements. Is the electricity used renewable energy? How much carbon dioxide are you emitting? What are your energy costs? What are your company's benefits? When are you going to do it? I'm going to organize and solidify.

Then there is the formulation, execution and verification of the plan. At this time, subsidies will also be interwoven. Currently, the government is developing a large number of subsidized projects, so let's add subsidized projects and formulate an action plan. If you look at it properly, for example, even if you generate 200kw and control the storage battery of 300kwh and introduce 3​ ​EVs, you can reduce your electricity bill by 20 % every month and earn 100,000 yen every month from the 6th year. maybe.

Utilization of power aggregators

A power aggregator is a business operator that plays an important role in the use of smart energy. The smart energy environment is mainly based on the use of renewable energy, but renewable energy has the problem of unstable power. Furthermore, if you do not cooperate with the surroundings, you will not be able to use it well. Since it is a distributed power source and the scale is tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of locations, it is difficult for each to self-manage. Electricity aggregators make efficient use of that environment.

Power aggregators are also responsible for managing and operating distributed power sources, adjusting optimal energy supply and demand, and trading in the power market. Activities began in Japan around 2012, and the number of participants is increasing year by year. With the FIP system starting in 2022, use such businesses as your own partners.

Configuration of smart energy environment

We will briefly explain the renewable energy, storage batteries, energy conservation, and energy management that make up the smart energy environment.

The first is renewable energy. Photovoltaic power generation has become a cheap power source, and more diverse renewable energy power sources are about to become even cheaper power sources. This area is evolving more and more due to the advancement of systems and technological innovation. We are now in an age where it is advantageous to make and use energy yourself, rather than just using it. Silicon solar cells currently account for more than 90 % of photovoltaic power generation systems, but if perovskite-structured solar cells become available in the future, the cost will drop dramatically. There will also be wind power. There are also offshore power plants in the waters surrounding Japan, and it is thought that various ideas will appear in this area as well.

Next is the battery. There have been major innovations and implementations here in the last year or two. Until now, storage batteries have been used as an emergency power source that does not normally operate so much, which has been a factor in increasing costs. However, with the new type, large capacity and large output are realized without a limit on the number of charge/discharge times, and the price has become low enough to withstand practical use. Full-scale utilization of renewable energy in the future will create an environment in which renewable energy can be used at low cost and at all times.

Energy saving is a word that was born in the era of the oil crisis. Recently, the idea was to reduce energy consumption by 2 to 5 % annually, but in reality, cutting-edge products have achieved energy savings of several tens of percent by adapting methods with different technology systems. Innovative technologies are being adapted for air conditioning, refrigerators, and lighting.

Energy management then executes control that optimizes the entire system while simultaneously optimizing the individual use of various distributed power sources. AI is fully implemented and utilized here. Unfortunately, in Japan, the introduction was delayed due to the balance of the system, but due to changes in the system, it has entered the full-scale introduction period. There are also tools that integrate and manage not only electricity, but also heat, water, and other infrastructure as a whole, and realize market transaction interlocking.

Smart energy grid sample case

Finally, we will introduce sample examples of smart energy grids that can be adapted to regions, towns, and offices.

We are promoting cooperation with large-scale customers such as housing complexes and shopping malls. Depending on the supply and demand situation, we will mutually exchange electric power, and connect EV vehicles owned by residents and companies and connect them as a "moving storage battery" that will become a key facility in the region.

In addition, solar power generation and stationary large-scale storage batteries will be introduced to build a microgrid that can exchange power between housing complexes, schools, and public facilities. In the event of an emergency, reliable power supply to evacuation facilities will be achieved, and in normal times the use of renewable energy will be expanded. In schools and public facilities, energy-saving heating and cooling equipment will be introduced to greatly reduce power consumption. In addition, we will utilize various IoT devices installed in regional facilities to realize "visualization" and "suppression/optimization" of power consumption, and operate the operations of the energy supply and demand center within the region.

This sample is ready to run once the local requirements are in place. Please consider it by all means.

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