The Path to a New Energy Society Accelerating through the Spread of Energy Storage Systems

In the summer of 2012, NEC will start shipping household energy storage systems equipped with lithium storage batteries and that will implement remote support by cloud computing. First, shipments will be made to house builders and building material trading companies. Partner companies in the housing and building material industries are already launching market development for these systems such as advertising the appeal of smart houses on TV commercials. This product combines the lithium-ion battery technology that enjoys an established reputation and cloud computing service by ICT and will become an indispensable product in smart houses and smart cities. NEC is further innovating "smart energy solutions" by participating in demonstration test projects inside and outside of Japan to further upgrade its technology and know-how and by challenging the market for suppliers in addition to users comprising the household market as one step.

From EVs to the Household Energy Storage System

The electric vehicle (EV) LEAF manufactured by Nissan Motor is enjoying good sales in Japan and in the global market. NEC and its Group companies are supplying electrodes of lithium-ion batteries installed in LEAF, quick chargers that are installed more, and operation and management systems for the chargers. They are providing cloud computing services for these systems. This fact is being widely recognized. The NEC Group has been promoting the establishment of technologies and services in an integrated fashion from batteries to peripheral systems, to operation and management know-how, and to cloud computing. This asset can be utilized in the large market of energy storage systems.

This market is regarded as promising because of environmental problems including global warming. People are beginning to share a recognition of escaping from an energy society that depends on limited fossil fuels and of building a new autonomous and dispersive energy society that utilizes renewable energy such as solar power and wind power. The smart grid scheme is now discussed in specifics. In Japan, fears of power failure in a disaster and unstable power supply are felt after the great disaster in 2011. Involving restart of nuclear power stations that has stirred social debate, power saving and a rise in electricity charges are becoming unavoidable. This is why the energy storage system that can store electricity and use it wisely is attracting the interest of the people.

For example, electricity is stored at night when the electricity rate is low. Power generated by solar panels installed on the roof is stored. The stored power will be used for one's own use and can be used as a backup power source in an emergency. Instead of merely being a storage battery, if it is integrated with an ICT system that can check the condition of charging and discharging in real time and that can provide maintenance and advice remotely, its usefulness, usability, and safety will be dramatically enhanced. The system will become an indispensable element of smart houses in smart cities.

Slim Design of the Same Size as that of an Outdoor-unit Air Conditioner and 24-hour Observation Service

Satoshi Oomachi, Manager of the Smart Energy Business Development Division, describes the household energy storage system of NEC.
"The main unit of the compact energy storage system of NEC has a depth of 310 mm and is as thin as an outdoor-unit air conditioner. A cooling fan is not needed and the unit is quiet. The battery capacity is 5.53 kWh, and the cost performance of the system is higher than that of the competitor's products. A control panel is installed indoors to indicate system operation and power consumption. The system has a 'peak cut operation' function to switch to the energy storage system when more than a set value of electricity of the electric power company is used. "Green mode" preferentially stores surplus electricity generated by the solar power system. Switching to 'economy mode' to sell surplus electricity can also be performed."

"The system is called an 'energy storage system' and not 'batteries,' and this is the way NEC does business," continues Oomachi. "One major characteristic of the system is that it can always be connected to the NEC data centers through an Internet connection in the household. By connecting to the cloud computing service of NEC, an observation service provided more safely and more reliably by NEC and its partner companies can be received 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without interruption. When software updating for the main unit is needed in the future such as a change in the electricity rate, the user will not have to modify the software; the software will be modified remotely by maintenance service."

Toward the Evolution of a "Smart Energy Solution" in NEC Style

"Producing the compact energy storage system of NEC is regarded as one step toward building a new energy society," says Oomachi. "The technology of energy storage systems is high in versatility. It will be useful in evolving into energy storage systems for commercial facilities, enterprises, factories, power companies, and other users. NEC is actively undertaking various activities inside and outside of Japan to develop the market as soon as possible." (Oomachi)

NEC started a demonstration project of the "Battery & Charger Integration System" consisting of multiple quick chargers and a large-capacity storage battery in Yokohama City. Designated as an "R&D project for the creation of new industries through fusion of IT" by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, NEC started technology development and demonstration tests of a distributed energy management and control system using batteries in three prefectures of Japan made victims of the great disaster, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures. In the project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, demonstration to verify whether a contribution can be made to peak-cut power generation in regional power supply will be carried out by remotely managing and controlling multiple storage batteries installed dispersedly in small and medium buildings such as supermarkets through a demand-response function.

NEC plans to promote the smart energy business that utilizes assets such as the storage battery technology, control system, rapid charging infrastructure, cloud computing service (energy cloud), and other components to create an energy society that is friendly to the environment. An important step in promoting "smart energy business" is this compact energy storage system business. High expectation is placed on the future of this business.

Smart Energy Solutions

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