Reporting on Today and Tomorrow’s Energy, Environmental and Industrial Technologies [1st Featured Article] Smart Community Projects Transforming the Global Energy System [2nd Featured Article] Intellectual Property Management at NEDO Perspective on Future Technologies Dai Tamesue New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization Directing the Future Perspectives on Future Technologies Changing Mindsets through Technology Dai Tamesue I believe that media has been a catalyst that strengthened the relationship between sports and technology. Without the birth of the technology we call “television,” sports would never have become the kind of industry it is today. Technology has had a variety of effects on sports, both positive and negative, and I believe that as technology continues to evolve further it will develop a new relationship with sports. For example, with sensors placed on a player’s body, the t-shirt you are wearing could be synchronized with the player’s heart rate and the spectator’s experience could be extended beyond just watching sports. Another possibility is related to athletes’ injuries. The actual causes of athletic injuries are often not well known, but in the future the clothes players wear could be able to read changes in muscle hardness or collect data while sleeping that could be used to predict the possibility of trouble. These technologies could be used to extend the length of player’s career and possibly improve performance as a result. I feel that the sports world is already awaiting these technologies. I also believe once blockchain technology becomes firmly established there will be big innovations that occur in the area of ticketing. Obviously, the evolution of technology has also been affecting sports gear such as equipment and sportswear. In recent years, the Paralympics have been attracting more attention and some players have shared their visions of participating in the Olympics. At the center of this discussion is the emerging question of whether athletic performance is improving as a result of human improvements or improvements in equipment. I believe that it is due to both, and in my opinion it is better to keep the Olympics and Paralympics as two separate events. However, I also think it would be good for the world to see a Paralympic athlete beat an Olympic athlete if only just once. Thanks to technology, the Dai Tamesue boundaries between disabled and healthy people have been narrowed to the Born in Hiroshima in 1978. First Japanese point that there is almost no gap between them and a seamless connection sprinter to win a medal in a track event at a World Competition. Three-time Olympian. between both sides. I think it is important to recognize how society changes Current Japanese record holder for Men’s when the “mindset” that humans conceive as natural is changed. 400 meter hurdle (as of March 2017). Currently he operates Samurai Co., Ltd., a In this way, technology enables paradigm shifts in human consciousness. By company that works on sports-related projects. The books he has written include making it possible to do things people don't think they are capable of or “Hashiru Tetsugaku (Philosophy of perceive as impossible, technology is profoundly significant in provoking Running)” (Fusosha Publishing Inc.) and “Akirameru Chikara (Power of Surrender)” changes in people’s “mindsets.” (President Inc.). 02 Contents Perspectives on Future Technologies 02 Perspectives on Future Technologies Dai Tamesue 04 1st Featured Article Smart Community Projects Transforming the Global Energy System 06 Key Word 1 Installing Solar Power Generation (PV) 08 Key Word 2 Distributed Resource Aggregation 12 2nd Featured Article 10 Key Word 3 Intellectual Property Expansion of the Energy Market in Asia Management at NEDO 16 Easy to Understand! News Release Commentary Fiberless Thermal Insulator with High Strength and Low Thermal Conductivity Capable of Use at High Temperature Developed 18 After Project Follow Up! NEDO Project Success Stories Playback History Vol 4. Super Head Electronic Technology Development Promotion Project 2017 No.64 Reporting on Today and Tomorrow’s Energy, Environmental, and Industrial Technology “Focus NEDO” is the public relations magazine of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), introducing the public to NEDO’ s various projects and technology development activities related to energy, environmental and industrial technologies. Focus NEDO 2017 No.64 03 st Solar Power Generation 1 Featured Article Smart Community Projects Distribution Transforming the Global Generation Transmission Energy System System Operator Thermal Power Generation Transmission Office Distribution “Smart Communities” focus on expanding the use of renewable energy and making the whole society smarter. NEDO has conducted projects both domestically and internationally to demonstrate the systems and technologies necessary to accomplish this transformation. Here you’ll find an introduction to the current situation surrounding smart community development and NEDO’s activities. Accommodating Distribution Electric Vehicle Wind Power Generation Residential Area Factory begun to spread from the end users of the grid system*. In response NEDO’s Demonstration Projects Aiming to NEDO is proceeding with the demonstration of technologies to address Transform of the Structure of Electricity the needs of this new situation. Through such experiences spreading Supply and Demand Japanese technology in overseas situations, NEDO is helping Japanese As Japan progresses towards fully unbundled electric power system by companies to understand the necessity of innovation in this field, and 2020, a big change in the relationship between the supply and demand of NEDO aims for the overseas results to provide feedback that can be electricity is about to occur due to the massive introduction of distributed applied to Japan as well.” renewable energy sources like solar power. In North America and NEDO’s demonstration projects have been conducted around the Europe, where unbundling of electric power companies progressed world. In industrialized countries NEDO looks for business models that during the 2000s, fixed price purchasing rules to promote the use of apply to areas where the deregulation of the electricity market has renewable energy using policies such as feed-in tariffs or net-metering to preceded Japan and prove the compatibility of Japanese solutions with oblige power companies to purchase energy from renewable sources have overseas technologies through compliance with international standards come to an end and new business models are beginning to be explored. from organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Against this background, NEDO has been performing demonstrations Commission (IEC). Meanwhile in emerging countries NEDO of supply and demand models for electric power from both technical and encourages institutional reform that makes it easier for Japanese business perspectives under a diverse range of global business conditions technology to enter the market and recruits Japanese companies that will in anticipation of the introduction of large volumes of renewable energy. work on technology demonstrations. Currently NEDO is conducting NEDO believes that these technical and business models also have the projects globally. potential to be deployed in Japan in the future. * Grid system: An electricity system that includes all aspects from electricity Director General of the NEDO Smart Community Department Satoshi production such as generation, transmission, transformation and distribution to consumers. Morozumi, who has followed developments in this field for 30 years, says, “The conventional electric power system which generates large amounts of power from centralized generators and delivers it to Responding Quickly to Changing Business consumers unidirectionally is beginning to crumble around the world. Models through Overseas Demonstrations Instead, the idea of sharing and using distributed power sources has In the course of conducting demonstration projects, there are some 04 Solar Power Generation Distribution Generation Transmission System Operator Thermal Power Generation Transmission Office Distribution Accommodating Distribution Electric Vehicle Wind Power Generation Residential Area Smart community deals with the introduction Factory of distributed energy including renewable energy, the establishment of bidirectional power grids involving users on the demand side such as households and commercial users, and the efficient control of the balancing between electricity supply and demand. issues that have been emerging. These result from changes occurring Japanese technology packages combining Japanese technologies. among business models. However, with the strong recognition that the essential purpose needs “In the taxi industry, ride-share services originating from the to be to improve local public infrastructure, which is a characteristics United States have become popular globally. Similarly, in the electric of the solution business, NEDO has been focusing more closely on power industry, a system is being built to enable users on the demand the so-called “local company alliance” problem of which local side to directly and flexibly share their surplus electric power. These companies to work with and how to engage in business development. are examples of a change happening globally across various Providing matchmaking with such local business partners is also a industries.