In Response to Increasing Electric Demand to Support a Sustainable Society, We Will Contribute to Realization Both of Carbon Neutrality and Stable Power Supply through Our Strong Development and Engineering Capabilities

Amid growing awareness concerning response to increasingly severe natural disasters as well as energy security, the markets surrounding the energy industry face various challenges. While solving technology challenges, including increase of local production for local consumption in terms of the supply and demand of electricity due to the spread of renewable energy resources and storage batteries, fluctuations in the output of variable renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power, and the influx of surplus electricity generated at factories, households, etc. (consumers) into the power grid, the industry needs to realize both stable power supply and its efficient operation.

In the midst of this situation, the Energy & Industrial Systems Group has defined the realization of both carbon neutrality and the stable power supply as a social issue to be resolved. While investing resources in the creation of digital energy (via visualization of electricity) business value within the power ICT field and in the technology development to contribute maximum use of renewable energy, such as DC power transmission and power system stabilization technology as well as distributed energy resources control and wide-area monitoring control systems, we will contribute to realization of carbon neutrality. In the power generation and transmission & distribution business, which are underlying business of the Group, we will also work to ensure the stable power supply by enhancing maintenance service that supports stable power grid operation.

Note: Power-generator business was transferred to Mitsubishi Generator Co., Ltd on April 1, 2024. Click here for details.

Initiatives that contribute to addressing social challenges

Developing power equipment and systems supporting power generation, grid transmission & distribution to help bring about a safer, more secure and more comfortable world

・Indirect Hydrogen-Cooled VP-X Series Turbine Generators

Against the backdrop of an increasing global call to reduce the negative environmental impacts of CO₂ emissions and other harmful substances, there is now growing demand for turbine generators capable of higher performance, improved efficiency and higher reliability. In response to these needs, Mitsubishi Electric has successfully developed the VP-X Series of high-output/high-efficiency indirect hydrogen-cooled turbine generators and introduced models up to the 900 MVA class.

Compared to water-cooled systems, indirect hydrogen-cooled generators have the advantage of not requiring auxiliary equipment such as stator cooling water feeders. Our VP-X Series generators expand the application of high-efficiency indirect hydrogen-cooled systems to the high-output range of 900 MVA, which up until now was strictly the realm of water-cooling methods. We expect these new generators to offer various advantages in terms of operation and maintenance.

In addition, several new element technologies that enhance output, improve efficiency and reduce size were discovered during development of the VP-X Series, and can be applied to the partial renewal of existing generators. Moreover we now provide customers with a new line of upgrade services in order to meet diversifying requirements for improving the performance of existing equipment.

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  High-efficiency VP-X turbine generator

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  870 MVA generator used for verification testing

・Reduced Environmental Impact Switchgear

Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Mitsubishi Electric is promoting the widespread adoption of a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB) and a 30 kV- to 70 kV-class cubicle-type gas-insulated switchgear (C-GIS) that uses no SF6 gas thanks to a dry-air insulation technique. In October 2022, we launched a 72.5 kV vacuum circuit breaker. Going forward, we will augment the product lineup to contribute to further reducing environmental impacts and to improve the efficiency of maintenance and inspection work.

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  Cubicle-type gas-insulated switchgear (C-GIS)

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  Vacuum circuit breaker (VCB)

・Reduced Environmental Impact Transformers (vegetable oil-based, natural-air cooling type)

Seeing as mineral oil is derived from petroleum and therefore a limited natural resource, Mitsubishi Electric developed the MELCORE-NEO™ power transformer that utilizes vegetable oil-based insulating oil instead. Thanks to the vegetable-based insulating oil, these transformer enables sustainable production, prevents soil contamination and is carbon neutral to boot. In addition, the flame-retardant insulating oil it uses provides excellent disaster prevention properties, and it has been delivered to railroads, data centers, and other facilities where environmental consideration and disaster prevention is required. For rolling stock / rail applications, we have developed and delivered natural-air cooled transformers that utilize airflow generated by the running train to cool the transformer without the need for an additional fan and in turn help to realize significant energy efficiency.

・Monitoring and Control Systems

Mitsubishi Electric monitoring and control systems help realize resource and space savings by reducing volume and weight by up to 30% while achieving higher functionality and performance than conventional models, as well as reducing power consumption by up to 33% compared to conventional systems. In addition, CPU cards and I/O unit are designed to be backwards compatible with previous-generation hardware. By enabling these systems to be deployed with minimal equipment updates, it also reduces environmental impact by consuming fewer resources.

・Module Type Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR)

While previous AVRs were built with a control board was housed in a card slot, modern units have adopted a module construction where the control board is integrated into the main body. This allows for AVRs one-fifth the size of previous models with easier maintenance, reduced environmental impact from manufacturing and power consumption to be cut in half. Mitsubishi Electric supplies AVRs to power plants both in Japan and abroad, contributing to the stable supply of electricity around the world.

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  Card Slot Type (conventional model)

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  Module Type (latest model)

Contributing to Customer Management via Solutions that Create New Value for Power Systems

・BLEnDer^® Series Software Package for the Electric Power Market

Since its launch in 2003, each BLEnDer^® Series module has been enhanced in terms of functionality, and new products have been added to the product lineup. Currently, Mitsubishi Electric offers a series of 20 packaged modules with a track record of delivery to multiple electricity generators and retailers.^*
Via BLEnDer^® Mitsubishi Electric has been and will remain committed to supporting the digitization of power systems and the expansion of the energy industry in response to changes in the market and energy trends.

• *Information current as of March 2022

・Distributed Power Supply Operation & Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Systems

By integrating and managing a large number of small-scale energy resources, storage batteries, and load devices on an IoT platform, we provide a function to control distributed energy resources with AI forecast and optimal algorithms that improves the balance between supply and demand for more economical operations.
We use these functions to improve supply-demand balance as well as to stabilize power grid systems, which contribute to pushing renewable energy as the main energy resources and to wide use of storage batteries, EVs, and other technologies, thereby achieving carbon neutrality.

・Smart Meter System

Smart metering systems are the foundation of the electricity business. Information about when and how much electricity was used by whom will be indispensable to allow consumers to freely select an electricity supplier and receive a stable supply of electricity. Mitsubishi Electric has developed a system that enables large volumes of meter data to be collected accurately at low cost, with the system now in use with several utilities. In addition, the Mitsubishi Electric smart meter system can provide real-time information about electricity usage to help individual consumers save power & energy. Furthermore, use of the smart meter communication network enables gas and hydro joint meter data collection as well as remote monitoring and control of various types of sensors. Development of these features further enhances consumer convenience.

• Press release on BLEnDerICE

・Large-Capacity Energy Storage Control Systems

Battery storage systems are essential for the flexible operation of power systems. These systems are key when balancing power generation using renewable energy sources with fluctuating outputs and power generation using fossil fuels. Energy storage control systems for small-scale power systems have been installed in locations such as remote islands and are now in operation. Energy storage control systems are also helpful as a countermeasure for excess power or fluctuations resulting from use of renewable energy resources in a main power grid system. Mitsubishi Electric is focused on expanding the range of products that contribute to decarbonization and grid stability by making the maximum use of wind, solar and other renewable energy resources without the need to suppress output.

・D-SMiree Smart Medium-Low Voltage DC Distribution Network System

Initiatives aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and a decarbonized society for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 are accelerating. In the area of energy infrastructure, there is increasing demand to keep stable power supply amid the renewable energy resources such as solar power increasingly interconnect with storage batteries, fuel batteries, and electric vehicles, in addition to the demand of strengthening the resilience of communities by supplying electricity from local distributed energy resources and enhancing a hazard-resistant energy infrastructure. The smart medium- and low-voltage DC distribution system D-SMiree generates, stores, and saves energy using DC distribution technology alongside the latest smart-grid technology and optimal storage battery control technology. We offer a reliable, economic distribution system that caters to facility goals such as reduced energy losses due to conversion, enhanced electricity reliability, and use of facilities as disaster prevention bases.

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  Demonstration Facility

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  Demonstration Facility Electrical Lab

・Multi-region EMS

In recent years, there has been growing demand for 100% renewable energy in supply chain and CO₂ reductions. In the near future, it is expected for companies to achieve their decarbonization targets at a locational level(such as a factory). Multi-region EMS is a cloud service that enables prosumers (companies) to manage their decarbonization targets for all their sites. The number of environmental value certifications that should be purchased is optimized as well as transferring renewable energy value among sites. Renewable energy value is accumulated in 30-minute increments, and the value of renewable energy charged in storage batteries is color coded, enabling precise management of environmental value. In this way, Mitsubishi Electric provides solutions that support companies’ concrete initiatives towards decarbonization.