Launch of Smart Grid Demonstration Site in Los Alamos- Japan-U.S. Collaborative Smart Grid Project in New Mexico -

1. Project Overview
   
   1. Japan-U.S. Collaborative Smart Grid Project in New Mexico
      This joint project is being carried out in collaboration with the State of New Mexico government and Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, which operate under the authority of the US Department of Energy. NEDO, which is responsible for two sites in Los Alamos and Albuquerque out of the project's five sites, has budgeted approximately 4.8 billion yen (about 3.0 billion yen for Los Alamos and 1.8 billion yen for Albuquerque) for the five-year period of FY2009 to FY2013.
      With the aim of expanding the introduction of new energy and promoting energy conservation efforts, leading-edge technologies based on Japanese know-how, including large-scale stationary batteries for power grids and energy management systems, will be demonstrated. The project also aims to contribute to international standardization activities for smart grid systems, which are steadily progressing on a global scale, and to further promote the dissemination of Japanese smart grid technologies throughout the world.
      
      

      Los Alamos site and Albuquerque site (New Mexico, USA Quote : Google map)

      In order to address potential issues that may occur when renewable energy having a fluctuating output is connected to power grids on a large scale, the following activities will be carried out:
      
      1. Demonstration of a smart grid with a high rate of photovoltaic power introduction using storage batteries and demand response
      
      
      2. Demonstration of a smart house that will be a key element of a community using demand response (the world's most advanced system that will operate in conjunction with photovoltaic power generation forecasting and demand response signals from power grids)
      
      
      3. Demonstration of a smart building that will be a key component of a smart grid using demand response (a highly functional building equipped with a low-carbon high quality power supply system that can stabilize the fluctuating output of photovoltaic power generation systems and is capable of stand-alone operation in emergency situations, such as power outages)
         
         In addition to quantitatively assessing the effectiveness of demand response, the capacity of storage batteries necessary to absorb fluctuations in photovoltaic power generation will be identified through the above activities in order to establish the most suitable smart grid for the environment. Furthermore, it is hoped that the data collected through the project will be utilized in the design of optimum systems for other areas, thereby promoting the rapid deployment of smart grids.
   
   
   2. Demonstration in Los Alamos
      Following the launch of the demonstration site in Albuquerque on May 17, 2012, eleven companies(*1) commissioned by NEDO will carry out smart grid and smart house demonstrations at the Los Alamos site.
      
      Using a newly constructed 1 MW PV system, the smart grid demonstration will establish an environment that makes it possible to change the introduction rate of PV power by switching three distribution lines. By making the best use of the environment, a combined system of a local energy management system (micro EMS) and demand response for residential houses with 1.8 MW of battery storage will be established for smart house use. The system will demonstrate technologies to absorb PV output fluctuations as well as to harmonize and optimally control the power flow of the distribution lines with the existing power system.
      
      In the smart house demonstration, a home energy management system (HEMS) will be established and demonstrated using a smart house equipped with a 3.4 kW PV power generation system, a 24 kWh lithium ion battery, power storage devices such as a heat pump water heater, and smart home appliances, including air conditioners and LED lighting. The HEMS will be used to optimally control power in conjunction with PV power generation and in-home demand forecasting as well as demand response signals from a micro EMS.
      
      

      Overall image of Japan-U.S. Collaborative Smart Grid Project in Los Alamos
      1 MW photovolatic system	0.8 MW lead battery system
      1 MW NAS battery system	Smart house

      Since its establishment, NEDO has carried out activities to develop and introduce renewable energy. Developing a smart community system that can be utilized around the world will require cooperative relationships with organizations overseas, and NEDO is well positioned to play a leading role in the smart community field by promoting international demonstration projects. While cooperating in four national projects in Japan, NEDO is working toward realization of international standardization for smart grid systems through the activities of the Japan Smart Community Alliance(*2).


2. Ceremony Attendees
   
   1. Attendees from Japan
      NEDO: Mr. Kazuo Furukawa, Chairman
      Toshiba Corporation: Mr. Norio Sasaki, President and CEO
      KYOCERA Corporation: Mr. Tatsumi Maeda, Executive Vice President
      Accenture Japan Ltd.: Mr. Ryoji Miyawaki, Senior Executive
      ITOCHU Corporation: Mr. Masahiko Takasaka, Executive Officer
      ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation: Mr. Satoshi Kikuchi, President and CEO
      NTT FACILITIES, Inc.: Mr. Mitsuhiro Watanabe, Senior Executive Vice President
      Cyber Defense Institute, Inc.: Mr. Shingo Kobayashi, CEO
      Sharp Corporation: Mr. Yasuhito Nakagawa, Division General Manager
      NGK Insulators, Ltd.: Mr. Taku Oshima, Senior Vice President
      NEC Corporation: Mr. Takemitsu Kunio, Senior Vice President
      Hitachi, Ltd.: Mr. Yoshifumi Kanda, Vice President and Executive Officer
   
   
   2. Attendees from the United States
      State of New Mexico: Governor Susana Martinez
      State of New Mexico: Congressman Ben Ray Lujan
      Los Alamos County: Ms. Sharon Stover, Council Chair
      Los Alamos National Laboratory: Dr. Charles F. McMillan, Director


3. Contact Persons
   NEDO
   Smart Community Department
   Mr. Takekoshi, Mr. Watanabe
   Tel: +81-44-520-5260
   
   Toshiba Corporation
   Corporate Communications Office
   Mr. Ohara, Ms. Hiraki
   Tel: +81-3-3457-2105
   
   KYOCERA Corporation
   Corporate Communications Division
   Mr. Reynolds, Ms. Yoshikawa
   Tel: +81-75-604-3416
   Accenture Japan Ltd.
   Marketing & Communications
   Mr. Kanda
   Tel: +81-45-330-7377
   
   ITOCHU Corporation
   Media Relations Department
   Mr. Ishiga
   Tel: +81-3-3497-7293
   
   ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation
   Corporate Communications Department
   Ms. Yamamoto
   Tel: +81-3-6203-4100
   
   NTT FACILITIES, Inc.
   Global Business Division
   Mr. Matsuura, Mr. Tsukuda
   Tel: +81-3-5444-2621
   
   Cyber Defense Institute, Inc.
   Information Analysis Department
   Mr. Kataoka, Ms. Someya
   Tel: +81-3-3242-8700
   
   Sharp Corporation
   Corporate Public Relations Division
   Mr. Kataoka
   Tel: +81-6-6621-1272
   
   NGK Insulators, Ltd.
   Public Relations Office
   Mr. Sato
   Tel: +81-52-872-7181
   
   NEC Corporation
   Corporate Communications Division
   Mr. Toda
   Tel: +81-33-798-6511
   
   Hitachi, Ltd., Power Systems Company
   Public Relations Office
   Mr. Imachi
   Tel:+81-3-3258-6457

Notes

(*1) Companies participating in the demonstrations at the Los Alamos site:
Toshiba Corporation and Toshiba International Corporation (smart grid demonstration site coordination, micro EMS, comprehensive system),
KYOCERA Corporation (smart house demonstration site coordination, HEMS, large-scale PV), ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (PV forecasting),
Sharp Corporation (HEMS, smart electrical appliances), NGK Insulators, Ltd.
(NAS battery system), NEC Corporation (high-speed PLC, equipment to stabilize
supply and demand), Hitachi, Ltd. (lead-acid battery system, large-scale PCS for PV)
Collective research
Accenture, ITOCHU Corporation, NTT FACILITIES, Inc., KYOCERA Corporation, Cyber Defense Institute, Inc., Toshiba Corporation, NEC Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd.

(*2) The Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA) was established in April 2010 to carry out activities that aim to build a smart community across industry boundaries by addressing issues of mutual interest and identifying social needs. NEDO serves as the Secretariat of JSCA.