2016

Propose as the model of the low carbon society where the electricity generated by wind, water, and solar power is stored and consumed

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has established “Green Power Park” at the Advanced Technology R&D Center. The facility is an energy circulation model where electricity generated by wind, water, and solar power is stored and then used to charge up EVs and operate vegetable farm.

NTN has embarked on the 3-year medium-term management plan “NTN 100” from April 2015, and has been promoting various measures toward its 100-year anniversary as of March, 2018 and for continued growth in the following 100 years. In the “Manage Growth” for concentrating management resource on strategic areas, NTN has placed focus on natural energy business as one of the major themes, and has been developing compact wind turbines and micro hydro turbines utilizing innovative and highly efficient blade technology and NTN's proprietary technology.

This time, 3 vertical axis wind turbines, 1 micro hydro turbine, 3 wind and solar hybrid street lights that NTN has developed were newly installed at the park in order to conduct a demonstration test of natural energy products^*.

The vertical axis wind turbine starts rotating with low-speed wind from any direction, and starts generating electricity at wind speed of 2 meters per second and does not generate noise. Micro hydro turbine has unique shaped propeller blades which enables catching the water efficiently and can be utilized in the place where there is even small water flow such as agricultural water channels or sewage lines.

The electricity generated by these products will be utilized to charge up EVs and for lights of the vegetable farm at night time as one of the specific example realizing the low carbon society. The amount of generated and stored and consumed electricity will be constantly monitored at the control room in order to optimize regulation and efficiently circulate natural energy which is clean and does not emit CO₂.

On April 9, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with attendance of guests including Mayor Ito of Kuwana City, to commemorate the opening of the park. Mayor Ito offered his congratulations with “I would like children who will tour this park in ‘2016 Junior Summit in Mie’ to lean the structure of the recycling-based society and have much discussion. And after the event, we will be greatly appreciated if NTN could constantly offer this park as a place for environmental study to local children.”

This facility has been selected as a tour venue as part of the “2016 Junior Summit in Mie”, which will be held mainly in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture as a related event to “Ise-Shima Summit.” It will be toured by the junior and senior high school students mainly from G7 countries who will have discussion under the theme of the environment and sustainable society. After the event, it will be planned to open for local students from elementary to high school to be utilized as educational tool for energy saving.

* “Commercialization of Natural Energy Related Products” Press Release
https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/news/press/news201500018.html

Reference

The Advanced Technology R&D Center

The Advanced Technology R&D Center is located in the Kuwana Business Research Park. In order to make our fundamental products cutting-edge (best in the world, first in the world), we are working to enhance tribology, material, surface modification and power technologies as well as being involved in the creation of technology that revolutionizes the way things are made and how that connects with improving bearing functions and the preservation of the earth's environment. Moreover, in order to position ourselves with respect to growth markets such as the field of new energy, we are engaged in R&D activities such as developing materials and components as well as developing system, etc.

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