Regional Heat and Power Sharing System to Receive Support from Japanese Government

Toyota City, Japan, July 2, 2014 /3BL Media/ ― Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that its regional heat and power sharing system for industrial parks has been selected for support as a Next-Generation Energy Technology Verification Project by the New Energy Promotion Council (NEPC). This system, which aims to share and effectively utilize waste heat and excess electricity within industrial parks or localized areas, was jointly submitted for consideration by TMC, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., and Toho Gas Co., Ltd. Preparations to set up the necessary systems are now under way with the aim of starting the verification project within this fiscal year, as well as investigations and studies for possible adoption of the system inside and outside Japan.

Next-Generation Energy Technology Verification Projects are one aspect of the Next-Generation Energy and Social System Demonstration Project launched by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in April 2010. TMC’s project will be conducted under close scrutiny from industry, government, and academic entities, with the aims of encouraging the development of a low-carbon society at a regional level, boosting competitiveness through greater economic efficiency, and improving energy security by the adoption of control technologies. The targets of the project will include TMC’s plants and other medium and small-sized plants in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.

Under the master plan formulated last year, TMC assessed the economic and environmental effectiveness of energy sharing and supply and demand optimization within industrial parks using waste heat recovery1, heat storage and heat transport. Under this verification project, TMC will now set up system technology and verify the economic viability of heat storage logistics. An overview of the verification project encompasses:

1) Technology related to efficient heat sharing systems within industrial parks
In combination with high-density chemical-heat storage2 and existing logistics, TMC will construct a heat storage logistics management system to enable the efficient sharing of heat through compact heat transportation.

2) Waste heat recovery power generation in accordance with regional energy load
TMC will construct an electric power demand response system that functions in accordance with regional energy demand by converting stored heat into electricity (i.e. a thermoelectric conversion system3).

3) Visualization/optimization of regional power supply and demand
In combination with a regional energy data management system (EDMS), TMC will verify a system that curbs electricity usage at peak times, and reduces the overall energy consumption and CO2 emissions of an industrial park.

4) Master plan for adoption of this system in industrial parks
TMC will assess the feasibility of a business model that achieves high-efficiency energy usage through heat and power sharing in industrial parks at its affiliates inside and outside Japan.

TMC has already introduced the Toyota Total Demand Management4 (TTDM) system at its plants as part of wide-ranging efforts to strengthen its production processes. TMC is also currently verifying the effectiveness of a propriety home energy management system (HEMS), EDMS, and other systems to optimize home energy use under the Toyota City Low-Carbon Society Verification Project.

In addition to other initiatives in the housing and transportation fields, TMC will continue to work to optimize regional energy management and reduce carbon emissions via the construction of heat and power supply systems in industrial parks.