Science & Technology News from Japan - International Relations

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Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confédération suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Embassy of Switzerland in Japan State Secretariat for Education and Research SER Surrogate Fish For Tuna In-Vitro Mass Production (March 04, 2009) Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology positively identified the presence of sperm of a nibe croaker in the testes of a mackerel. It was the necessary next step in the ultimate goal of using mackerel to mass-produce tuna eggs and tuna sperm for the in-vitro creation of schools of tuna fry. The plan is to extract the gametes that develop into eggs and sperm from the ovaries and testes of tuna and transplant them into mackerel fry. Once these mackerel have grown for about a year in tank culture and matured enough, the testes and ovaries will be harvested to isolate out the tuna sperm and tuna eggs. Road Map For Automotive Li-Ion Batteries (March 05, 2009) The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) submitted the final draft of the "2008 Roadmap for the Development of Next Generation Automotive Battery Technology." It covers the development of secondary batteries used in plug-in hybrid cars and electric cars, which are expected to play main roles as next generation vehicles. Performances and costs at present as well as those to be attained by 2010, 2015, 2020 and after 2030 are shown as target values. Portable Wind-Powered Battery Charger Pleiades System Designs Inc. has released an innovative battery charger that generates electricity using wind power and which can be worn on the arm. The "HYmini Wind + Solar Power Battery Charger" comes with an arm strap. Power generation is especially effective when the user wears the device on the arm on a windy day or while riding a bicycle. Electricity stored in the built-in battery can be transferred to mobile phones, digital cameras and portable music players via the respective adaptors. A solar panel and hand-operated crank are also included, making it possible to generate electricity regardless of weather conditions. (March 05, 2009) Japanese Company Joins Portuguese Solar Power Project (March 06, 2009) Mitsubishi has agreed to take part in one of the world's largest solar cell-based electricity generation projects in Moura/ Portugal. Mitsubishi will acquire a 34% stake in Lisbon-based Amper Central Solar S.A. Mitsubishi is considering sending an employee to Acciona as a part-time member of its board. The 250-hectare Moura solar plant has an output capacity of 45 800 kW. The Moura plant emits 89 000 tones less carbon dioxide a year than a comparable coal-based power generation plant. Mitsubishi President Yorihiko Kojima will have direct control over the trading house's environment and renewable energy business operations. New Efficiency Improving Backwind The wind turbine developed jointly by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. and Hitachi Ltd. is with its back to the wind. The machine points in the opposite direction of a typical wind turbine. It has a downwind rotor that fits behind the tower, so the machine looks like it has its back turned to the wind. In this case, the blades are tilted slightly downward relative to the ground, as if they were bowing. As the wind in Japan tends to blow upward toward the wind turbine, the downwind rotor design is better suited to take advantage of the power of the wind. A downwind turbine with the same rated power capacity as an upwind turbine ends up generating a few percent more electricity. (March 06, 2009) Japanese-EU Cooperation On Electric Car’s Sources (March 07, 2009) Japan will seek an agreement with the European Union to jointly develop solar cells and new ultra light batteries for electric cars that can deliver three times the power of current technology. The trade ministry's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy aims to sign an accord with the EU to pioneer the next-generation rechargeable batteries and photovoltaic cells. About 100 officials and experts from both sides began talks in Tokyo. Japan also wants to collaborate with Europe in developing a battery that can power an electric vehicle as long as 500 km on one charge. Sharp Corp. and GS Yuasa are among solar-power cell and battery makers that may benefit of such cooperation. Fuel Cell For All-Electrical Households Promoted (March 10, 2009) Major gas and oil companies have teamed up to develop a household fuel cell scheduled for release as early as May in an attempt to compete against electricity power companies that are increasing their share of the market due to all-electrical households. The fuel cell, named Ene Farm, will be the first of its kind to be sold in Japan. The Science & Technology News from Japan, Template 2009 • Felix Moesner, Science & Technology Attaché Page 12 of 28
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confédération suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Embassy of Switzerland in Japan State Secretariat for Education and Research SER companies, including Tokyo Gas Co. and Nippon Oil Corp., are hoping to attract customers by promoting the benefits of the fuel cell. The CO2 emissions of a household installed with the fuel cell are about 30 to 40% less than houses that use gas-fired water heaters and electricity from thermal power generation. Solar Heat Certification System For Tokyo (March 10, 2009) Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to initiate efforts for expanding the use of solar heat from fiscal 2009 by introducing the Green Heat Certification System and by granting subsidies to households for installing solar thermal equipment for the two-year period beginning in April 2009. Tokyo Environmental Public Service Corp. will among other measures grant subsidies to households for the environmental value (green heat equivalent) resulting from the introduction of photovoltaic power generators, and solar-powered water and room heaters, on the condition that the environmental value be transferred to TEPSC for 10 years. Fuel Cell To Recharge Small Electronic Equipment (March 10, 2009) Toshiba Corp. plans to market the nation's first palm-sized miniature fuel cell capable of recharging mobile phones and portable music players. This method can take a considerable amount of time and fully recharging a device is not always possible. The new fuel cell is capable of fully recharging a mobile phone in about the same time it takes using an electrical-socket recharger. When full, the methanol-fueled mini battery is able to fully recharge a mobile phone four or five times. Refilling the battery with methanol enables it to be used time and time again. Sewage Treatment Facility Extracts Gold From Ash (March 10, 2009) A sewage treatment facility here has literally struck gold, finding large traces of the precious metal in waste residue produced through the treatment process. Sewage goes through a primary stage of treatment where sludge is extracted. The residue is then compressed and dried after which it is incinerated. Residual soot is then melted in a furnace at about 1,600 degrees, which in turn produces what is known as fly ash. In fall of 2007, officials at the Japan Sewage Works Agency discovered about 1,890 grams of gold in every ton of ash produced at the plant. Toyoda plant is the first such facility to make a profit of gold in sewage ash. Production Of Pollen-Free Cedar Saplings (March 11, 2009) Nippon Paper Group Inc. announced the development of a technique that enables the more efficient production of saplings from cuttings taken from a unique variant of pollen-free Japanese cedar. The Japanese cedar has become the bane of allergy sufferers nationwide. But by carefully adjusting the concentration of carbon dioxide, Nippon Paper can grow saplings from cuttings that are only 2cm long, making it easier to mass-produce the pollen-free trees. The company plans to provide its technology to research facilities and government agencies that are working with Japanese cedar. Electric Double Layer Capacitor With Tripled Energy Density A Japanese university developed an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC), which has an energy density per unit volume of 20Wh/l. The new capacitor has three times as high energy density as existing EDLCs. When commercialized, it may be utilized to store renewable energy or as regeneration systems for hybrid cars. It uses activated carbon for the positive electrode. But lithium titanate is used for the negative electrode to enhance energy density. In addition nanocrystallized Li4Ti5O12 with a particle diameter of about 5-20nm is mounted on carbon nanofibers so that the time required for charging/discharging becomes shorter. (March 12, 2009) High-Performance Electrolyte For Car Lithium Ion Batteries (March 12, 2009) Central Glass Co. will start manufacturing a high-performance electrolyte for lithium ion batteries used in cars. Three other Japanese companies already command 60% of the global market, but Central Glass believes that it has an advantage because of the high fire resistance of its electrolyte and the fact that it makes the starting materials itself. Central Glass developed the fire-resistant electrolyte with Bridgestone Corp., which has technology for making an additive that renders electrolytic solutions nonflammable. World’s Most Efficient Gas Turbine (March 13, 2009) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. has developed a gas turbine that it bills as the world's most efficient and most powerful. The power generation efficiency is estimated at slightly over 60% in gas turbine combined-cycle applica- Science & Technology News from Japan, Template 2009 • Felix Moesner, Science & Technology Attaché Page 13 of 28
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