Feburary 2011 Vol.71

FeburaryFeburary 20112011 vol.71vol.71 �� Smart City Creating Smart Cities to Achieve a Balance between Economic Development and Environmental Measures Takao Kashiwagi Professor Tokyo Institute of Technology Integrated Research Institute, Solutions Research Laboratory 1. The Concept of a Smart City First, I would like to give a simple explanation of the world fuel and nuclear power, has played a central role in energy picture using figures 2, 3, and 4. The world’ s transmitting and distributing electricity to where it is in population is 6.9 billion. 1.6 billion people (1/4 of the demand, like cities and factories. In the future, however, world’ s population) live without electricity. There are 2.4 consumers will be required to take in as much renewable billion people (1/3 of the world’ s population) in China and energy as possible. It is expected that a new power India. And the total oil output on the earth is 1/2 of the distribution system controlled by both mega-infrastructure volume of Mount Fuji. What can we learn from these and consumers will be established. This is the “smart city” figures? concept. It is desirable to achieve a comfortable life, with electricity, In particular, electricity will be generated by solar cells for the 1.6 billion who currently live without electricity. When placed on the roof of each house to supply necessary power more people start driving in countries like China and India, for households, and the surplus will be stored in electric where living standards are improving remarkably, the limited vehicles. By embedding ICT (Information and amount of oil may be used up before we know it. Thus, Communication Technology) in home appliances and power there is a pressing need for a stable supply of energy that meters, appliances can be controlled remotely. In this way, does not depend on oil. “smart houses” are created first, and then they collaborate to Also, from an environmental point of view, it is a global accommodate electric power needs, creating a “smart challenge to depart from using energy sources that emit community.” If smart communities have surplus power, they carbon dioxide when burnt, such as oil, natural gas and will be able to transmit green electricity with a light coal. Natural energy, including solar and wind power, has environmental load to metropolitan areas that consume a lot enormous potential for realizing a low-carbon society and of energy. A “smart city” is defined as a society where an supplying energy equally among people across borders. intelligent two-way power distribution system is in place and To this point, mega-infrastructure energy, such as fossil the use of renewable energy can be maximized. Fig. 1: Smart City Concept 1 2. Smart City Planning in Japan At Expo 2005 Aichi, I took on the position of chief To be strategic, it must represent a scenario of economic designer for the project that supplied 100% natural recovery and technology development. In that sense, we energy to the Japanese government’ s pavilion by are aiming at creating new business models and jobs and building a micro grid* at the pavilion occupied by NEDO*, expanding business overseas by realizing the global an external body of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and standardization of related devices in collaboration with the Industry. Through this project, the prototype of a smart U.S. and Europe. We are looking ahead to the future city was demonstrated. At that time, Japan already had economic development of Japan. the requisite technology and was not behind the rest of To correspond with global standardization and to initiate a the world in this field. social system, we first urged NEDO to establish a “smart However, Japan began its official smart city planning community alliance” without industrial barriers and then only after being hit by the impact of President Obama’ s encouraged a number of private companies to participate in announcement of the Green New Deal. At about the the alliance. More than 500 companies joined the alliance, same time, the Democratic Party of Japan started a new which demonstrated the high level of public interest. In government and established a “Next-generation and 2010, a project with an aim to build a Japanese version of Social Systems Committee” in the Ministry of Economy, smart cities in five years started, and Yokohama, Toyoda Trade and Industry. Since I had been engaged in new (Aichi), Keihanna Gakken City (Kyoto) and Kitakyushu were energy policies from the time of the previous designated as model cities. Besides local governments, the government, I was appointed a member of the committee project’ s acting members include companies from a variety to address the strategic challenges involved in of industries such as automotive and steel manufacturers, demonstrating a smart city together with other members. electricity and gas suppliers and telecommunication The strategic approach is to seek innovation that is carriers. In addition to the 100 billion yen in public funds about more than just finding solutions to energy issues that the government will spend, member companies also and making our lives more convenient. Innovation means plan to invest in the project to create smart cities. “a structural reform of the socioeconomic system led by new knowledge and technology.” 3. Real-life Smart City Examples in Japan The smart city concept has been put into practice by the If that happens, for instance, when we go to a supermarket actual utilization of electric vehicles (EV). Lithium and spend a certain amount of money, we might be able to batteries commonly used in electric vehicles have the charge our EV with electricity generated through solar cells on capacity to store about 1.6 days’ worth of average the roof of the supermarket, free of charge. Or, we may be able household electricity consumption. Previously, we could to sell the electricity stored in our EV. During peak demand, it not store the surplus electricity obtained through at-home may be possible to sell our electricity at a high price. power generation methods such as solar cells. By making We are also working on this project from the viewpoint of smart houses, we will be able to start storing the excess liberalizing the regulation of the household use of electricity. At power in electric vehicles. In addition, further present, power companies are allowed to purchase only high- improvements have been made to electric vehicles. voltage power (over 50KW). Meanwhile, domestic low-voltage Toyota Motors, which plays a central role in the smart power is supplied exclusively by local power suppliers. How- city project, has been developing an EV that is capable of ever, because of the change in government, we are currently exchanging electricity at supermarkets or convenience in an environment where deregulation seems to be more stores. Traditional electric vehicles could only discharge easily accepted. If the regulation of the power supply and electricity for use in engines. In the future, demand system was reformed, it would increase the chance high-performing batteries may enable EV to charge and that new types of electricity businesses would be created. discharge freely. 4. Cutting-edge Technologies Used for Smart Cities When talking about the new technologies in the smart High expectations are placed on the ripple effects of the new city project, the EV technology is most likely to be pointed system, particularly because it is implemented by a naviga- out first. However, I would like to introduce something tion company. else that deserves attention: the potential of navigation Also, the importance of smart meters should not be forgot- systems. Tom Tom International BV in the Netherlands, ten when discussing the smart city concept. Smart meters are which has about 40% of the world market share of power meters with a communication function. When conven- navigation systems, is aiming to build a new energy tional meters are replaced with them, we will be able to mea- system with navigation at its core. The power generation sure power capacity and control home appliances remotely. It capacity of solar cells and wind mills largely depends on will be necessary to embed ICT in home appliances, but the weather. The new system uses a GPS system to check cost is estimated to be as low as 1,000 yen per appliance. the power generation status of each area in order to There is no question that smart meters will make a significant enable mutual accommodations of green power. contribution in the streamlining of our life styles and ways of managing energy consumption. 2 Fig. 2: Cutting-edge Technologies Used for Smart City – Basic Concept 5. The Social Change Created by Smart Cities It is clear that a new energy system utilizing green power For example, determining solar rights will involve not just alone cannot fulfill the power demands of our society. In the issue of how much sunlight we can get, but the issue of industrial areas, natural energy on its own will not be how much money we can get out of solar energy. Probably, sufficient. It is important to use the new energy together building a social system for sharing generated power, such with existing mega infrastructure. Still, the new energy is as carpooling at the community level, will be essential to expected to bring about a dramatic change in our social urban planning. By utilizing all the natural energy available, life. For instance, the widespread utilization of smart economic development and environmental objectives will be meters may create new business models, such as a “home simultaneously achieved. And, by making intelligent cities, doctor” who analyzes each home’ s power usage data and we will be able to have a more comfortable and convenient gives advice on how to use energy more efficiently.

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