Toshiba's Initiatives for Reconstruction and Power Saving

Supporting local governments and other organizations

Minamisoma Solar Agri-Park project

Toshiba Corp. donated photovoltaic power generation systems,PCs, TVs, air conditioners, and multifunction copy machines to local government offices and their temporary operating facilities in order to assist them in continuing their operations. We also supported and invested in the Minamisoma Solar Agri-Park project implemented by Fukushima Reconstruction Solar Co., Ltd. to rebuild Fukushima Prefecture. This project aims to use solar energy to generate power in Minamisoma City (one of the stricken areas), to supply the power thus generated to plant factories and other facilities in the park, and to encourage children to develop their character and interact with one another by learning about photovoltaic power generation systems and experiencing agriculture firsthand. Power generation is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2013.

Reconstruction projects

Toshiba Corp. is working on the construction of smart communities and other projects in Ishinomaki City (Miyagi Prefecture) and Minamisoma City (Fukushima Prefecture) in order to contribute to the reconstruction of the stricken areas. In Ishinomaki, we will draw up plans to build a smart community aimed at realizing a “safe, secure, and environmentally conscious town” in which people can use electricity even when a disaster occurs, an objective to be achieved primarily by developing an energy management system (EMS) for regional energy management and installing photovoltaic power generation systems and storage batteries.^*1In Minamisoma, we are considering formulating plans to construct large photovoltaic power plants with a combined generating capacity of 100,000 kW of electricity^*2 and building a smart community.^*3

*1

In response to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's call for applications for projects to promote the introduction of smart communities, Ishinomaki City, Tohoku Electric Power Company, Inc. and Toshiba Corp. jointly made this proposal.

*2

The plans for this project include a 20,000-kW photovoltaic power generation project commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment as part of its urgent request to consider renewable energy projects in fiscal 2011.

*3

Toshiba has entered into an agreement with Minamisoma City to construct large photovoltaic power plants and introduce a smart community.

Rechargeable electric fan for the living room

With its rechargeable batteries, this electric fan can be used even when no electricity is available-for example, in the event of a power failure. In addition, the “peak-shift operation” function enables users to switch the power over from AC to the batteries with a single touch of a button. Together with the DC inverter motor, the dual sensor, which detects room temperature and humidity to automatically adjust airflow, achieves substantial energy conservation compared to its predecessor, keeping power consumption as low as 3 watts.

Residential fuel cell

Fuel cell system for residential (ENE-FARM) is a micro power plant that supplies electricity and heat for homes. It ensures effective use of energy because it generates electricity in homes using city or LP gas and makes use of the waste heat resulting from power generation to produce hot water. Toshiba provides ENE-FARM, its latest residential fuel cell with an overall eco-efficiency of 94%,* the world's highest. This fuel cell is even capable of continuing to generate power even in the event of a power failure. If combined with photovoltaic power generation, this system will contribute to even greater energy conservation and CO₂ emissions reductions.

*

Achieved by Toshiba's residential fuel cell cogeneration system (as of December 2011 according to a Toshiba survey)

Making power consumption visible

Toshiba provides cloud computing services to make power consumption visible by collecting real-time data on the power being consumed at numerous plants and office buildings. In December 2011, Toshiba Group started to manage power consumption at its business and production sites.

• Click here for details (only Japanese).

Establishing a system to make power consumption visible through employee participation

Display for making monthly CO₂ emissions visible

Using its Fuchu Complex as a model, Toshiba Corp. is conducting tests to establish a system to make CO₂ emissions visible using cloud computing technology, thus raising awareness of the need for energy conservation among its employees.

Inputs and display of sensory
information obtained from employees

In order to make CO₂ emissions visible, Toshiba collected data on the amounts of electricity, gas, and other utilities used per building to clarify CO₂ emissions and converted these totals to monetary values. To motivate employees to participate in this initiative, Toshiba posted the temperature and humidity at each workplace and the status of CO₂ emissions resulting from power consumption on its internal website, making the work environment visible based on sensory information obtained from employees. This information was classified into one of seven grades such as “comfortable,” “hot,,” or “cold.” By analyzing CO₂ emissions and employees' reactions via these experiments, the company will promote energy conservation efforts with a view to achieving operational efficiency and will aim to make effective environmental investments.