Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) today announced that Hitachi will transition its domestic power grids business* to a new structure with Hitachi Energy to provide strong support for the early realization of a carbon-neutral society and the enhancement of resilient electricity network in Japan. Hitachi will make the most of its expertise in the domestic market, as well as leading technologies and solutions based on Hitachi Energy’s knowledge and experience in global market, to contribute to Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) by providing new values, such as improving the asset life cycle with the maintenance and services of existing electricity network, and supporting flexibility, stability and security of the power grids.
*The businesses and solutions covered by this transition are mainly GIS (gas insulated switchgear), transformers and HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) businesses for utility companies and their maintenance businesses, excluding grid protection and control businesses.
Overview
1. New values to contribute to the customers and market for early realization of a carbon-neutral society Through the integration of the domestic power grids business and Hitachi Energy, Hitachi will provide customer with new values to realize a carbon-neutral society by leveraging Hitachi Energy’s world-class technologies with Hitachi’s digital technology including Lumada and the extensive experience from our domestic track record.
a. World-recognized value in power grids equipment such as high-voltage products including gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) portfolio and transformers, all supporting low environmental impact, optimization of maintenance cycles and digitalization. b. The value that directly contributes to minimizing power supply shortages and accelerating GX through solutions used in global markets, such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology and EconiQ (product, service and solution package that helps achieve carbon neutrality).
2. Maximize values by co-creating with customers
a. Continue to provide high-quality services including front-end engineering, quality control, and maintenance backed by years of experience in Japan together with new digital solutions. Contributing to the enhancement of the value of investment in the power grids in Japan, aiming to maintain and improve services for existing facilities and equipment in the Japanese market along with supporting the realization of customer’s technology succession. b. Aiming to realize the globalization of our business platform having aligned with customers in Japan and providing them with the value created in the global market. c. The target periods for transition to a new structure of each business together with Hitachi Energy are as follows: HVDC business, which has world’s leading technologies and market shares and a proven track record in Japan since the establishment of a joint venture for Japan’s HVDC business in 2015, will be from latter half of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023; the service business, which is another core business, will be from FY2024; and the equipment business including GIS and transformers will be by end of FY2024. d. Products such as GIS and transformers will transition to those produced at Hitachi Energy’s manufacturing sites, and the manufacturing base in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture will become an important base function providing advanced engineering and services from FY2025. e. We will also provide strong support for strengthening the power grids and support collaboration efforts for the development of a nation-wide next-generation electricity network, which is being considered with a perspective on future energy sources and demand as a result of changes in social structures, such as the expansion of non-fossil based generation sources and the progress of electrification, by utilizing Lumada and other digital technologies, as well as experience, know-how, technology and human resources on a global basis.
About Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 42,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of more than $10 billion USD. www.hitachienergy.com
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of “Digital Systems & Services” – supporting our customers’ digital transformation; “Green Energy & Mobility” – contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and “Connective Industries” – connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at www.hitachi.com.
The month of May marks the annual observance of Foster Care Month, a time to raise awareness on issues related to foster care and to celebrate organizations that are dedicated to serving foster youth. This year, Living Advantage, Inc. (LA, Inc.) is switching the focus to youth who are on the verge of aging out of the system. Utilizing innovative technology, social networking, and media to reduce unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration for at-risk youth targeting foster youth.
Every year in California, 4,000 former foster youth become too old to receive foster care-related services. Once they age out of the system, they face many challenges as they navigate the transition to independent living, such as finding stable housing, employment, education, and health care.
LA, Inc. focuses its work on making sure those youth are prepared for when it’s time to go out on their own. They do this by empowering youth with tutoring, mentoring, and case management, in an effort to help youth graduate from school and find careers that are meaningful to them. By investing in the success of these young people, the organization is investing in the future of our communities by decreasing rates of homelessness, incarceration, and sex trafficking.
National Foster Care Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of the urgent need to support transition age youth (TAY) and recognize the organizations that are doing their part to help out these youth.
LA, Inc. would be more than happy to do interviews throughout May Foster Care Month to highlight struggles within the system and ways audiences can get involved.
Living Advantage, Inc. Katie Copeland 323-731-6471 www.livingadvantageinc.org
Indonesia’s oil and gas state-owned enterprise PT Pertamina has encouraged collaboration between countries for energy transition in order to tackle global warming.
Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati (middle) in a B20 dialogue themed “Sustainable Finance for Climate Transition” held in Bali on Thursday, July 14, 2022. (ANTARA/HO-PT Pertamina)
“Preventing global warming and climate change is a challenge for all countries in the world, both developed and developing countries, including energy companies and industry parties,” the energy company stated in a release, Friday.
Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati noted that energy transition is the key to preventing catastrophic impacts of global warming and climate change, but energy transition efforts should not interfere with the unfinished development agenda in some developing countries.
Widyawati brought up this point, considering that the average energy consumption, emission expenditure, and income per capita of developing countries are generally below those of developed countries.
“Therefore, developed countries must support developing countries in the transition to sustainable energy if the world wants to have a chance to meet the global warming (reduction) target,” she stated in a dialogue themed “Sustainable Finance for Climate Transition” held in Bali on Thursday (July 14).
She remarked that Pertamina — as an energy SOE — has allocated a capital expenditure (Capex) of 14 percent of its total investment funds to support the implementation of energy transition in Indonesia. The figure is much higher than the average investment of 4.3 percent for renewable energy made by any other world energy company.
“Overcoming climate change is one of Pertamina’s Sustainability program strategies, with a target of reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, which is above Indonesia’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) target,” Widyawati noted.
She remarked that from 2010 to 2020, the company had succeeded in reducing 6.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MmtCO2E), or 27 percent, from 26 percent of the 2010 baseline.
Widyawati — who currently also serves as chair of the B20 Task Force for Energy, Sustainability, and Climate — emphasized that all energy transition efforts must be thoroughly planned in order to ensure energy security and accessibility for the entire community is well-maintained.
Pertamina will accelerate its energy transition efforts towards sustainable energy use as well as ensure a fair and affordable transition and improve energy security, she remarked.
Considering that energy transition requires high technology and costs, Widyawati further said that Pertamina is open to partnerships and collaborations with like-minded parties to encourage innovation and reduce technology costs for the transition effort.
“Pertamina’s ambition is to become a leading global energy company with a good reputation and to be recognized as a company that implements the principles of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) in an integrated manner,” she stated.
The dialog, held in a hybrid format, was also attended by Indonesian Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, President Director of state-owned electric power corporation PLN Darmawan Prasojo, President Director of PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Ahmad Yunianto, and Vice President of Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. Dany Qian.
The Business 20 (B20) is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community. Established in 2010, B20 reserved companies and business organizations, and it is among the most prominent Engagement Groups in G20.
A series of meetings aimed at consumer associations to explore issues related to the ecological transition, one of the main challenges on the national and European public agenda: this is the Energy Academy, an initiative promoted by Enel with the support of the Institute for Competitiveness (I-Com). The Academys program, aimed at 40 young professionals and the sector association experts, will feature dozens of university lecturers, managers and institutional representatives.
The launch presentation event was attended by Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italys Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Fabrizio Iaccarino, Head of Sustainability and Institutional Affairs at Enel Italia, Stefano da Empoli, President of I-Com and the heads of the 20 Associations belonging to the CNCU Italys National Council of Consumers and Users.
The initiative, the first of its kind in Italy, is intended to be an opportunity for reflection and discussion, split over ten events taking place from now until June 2022, on the most important issues affecting the energy system in Italy today.
The Energy Academy aims to promote greater awareness among consumers, and the associations that represent them, of current cutting-edge technologies and the possible trajectories for energy and sustainable development in Italy. The course also focuses on the experiences of the associations themselves, their role in these times of great change and the good practices they help to bring to the attention of the public. The meetings are divided into three distinct modules: the ecological transition, the energy system andretail markets.
Fabrizio Iaccarino stressed, The energy transition will only be a great opportunity for our country if we approach it in a participatory way. Through the Energy Academy we aim to further strengthen cooperation and dialogue with consumer associations, providing them with the keys to understanding how to play an active part in the transition process and expand their role as consumer mediators and enablers of an increasingly sustainable community from an economic, social and environmental point of view.
Stefano da Empoli said, “One distinctive factor of energy markets is their complexity, which is amplified by the major transformations taking place. This complexity goes hand in hand with the nature of energy as an essential good and therefore needs innovative settings and formats. This is why, together with Enel, we have planned these opportunities, not only to train people, but also to listen and talk to consumer associations, the main public institutions and some of the countrys leading experts in the sector.
ABB Robotics has signed an agreement to collaborate with California-based Zume, a global provider of innovative, compostable packaging. ABB will supply robotic cells that will enable Zumes production of sustainable packaging on a global scale, helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
ABB will integrate and install more than 1,000 molded fiber manufacturing cells (MFC) – including up to 2,000 robots at Zume customers sites worldwide over the next five years. ABB will leverage its program management capabilities and automation experts in its network of Global Solution Centers to enable the scale, modularity and speed required to launch the solutions, which have the potential to produce millions of pieces of sustainable packaging annually. Financial details were not disclosed.
Manufacturers face increasing pressure from consumers and policymakers to find alternatives to single use plastic packaging. New packaging needs to be sustainable, while being easy to mold and as cost effective as plastic. Zumes packaging material is made from sustainably harvested plant material left over from agricultural production, including bamboo, wheat and straw. Plant material uses significantly less water and energy and reduces CO₂ emissions when compared to the production and disposal of plastic packaging. Unlike plastic, plant-based material is 100 percent biodegradable and simply breaks down after use.
Automating production of Zumes sustainable packaging with ABB robots makes this a viable and economic alternative to single-use plastics. With Zume, we have the potential to remove trillions of pieces of plastic from the global marketplace, preserving scarce resources and supporting a low carbon world, said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation. Today, robotic automation is expanding possibilities, making the world more sustainable through more efficient production that reduces energy use, emissions and production waste. Our collaboration showcases what is possible when organizations that are committed to pursuing a low-carbon society work together.
Zume has developed and patented an innovative manufacturing process to make compostable packaging for anything from food and groceries to cosmetics and consumer goods. Containers are molded from the plant material by Zumes molded fiber cells integrated with two ABB IRB 6700 robots, with each cell processing up to two tons of agriculture material every day, creating 80,000 pieces of sustainable packaging. Working with ABB, Zume expects to equip factories with up to 100 robotic cells each. With the automation, speed and scalability provided by the MFC, each site would have the potential to process 71,000 tons of agriculture material annually, potentially producing up to two billion pieces of packaging each year.
By 2050, we estimate that the worlds oceans will have more plastic than fish, so it is critical that we move everyone away from single-use plastics, said Alex Garden, Chairman and CEO of Zume. Using ABBs global automation experts to develop and integrate automation solutions for our customers will revolutionize packaging and demonstrate what sustainable manufacturing can look like. The flexibility and scalability of ABBs robots enables an efficient automated manufacturing process. This means we can offer a viable, cost effective, compostable alternative to plastic, and help manufacturers to become more environmentally-friendly.
A pilot project has been installed by Zume and ABB at Satia Industries Limited, one of Indias largest wood and agro-based paper manufacturers, creating a facility of 10 manufacturing cells that will process 20 tons of wheat straw daily creating 100 percent compostable packaging for a range of industries.
Our work with Zume and ABB enables Satia Industries to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients for high-performing, affordable and reliable products that are sustainably manufactured and easily composted, said Dr. Ajay Satia, CMD Satia Industries. Besides adding significant value to the company, we are able to support the planet by providing sustainable solutions to help our customers transition to more modern, reliable, and customized products compared to those they use today.
Other planned pilot installations include Parason Group, a leading global pulp and paper machinery supplier, also based in India and Jefferson Enterprise Energy, the first 100 percent renewable energy powered compostable packaging factory, based in Texas, USA.
1 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABBs success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
About Zume: Founded in 2015 and HQ in Camarillo, California, Zume is actively reducing the worlds plastic waste with economically viable substitutes for plastic packaging. As creators of the worlds most advanced molded-fiber manufacturing system, Zume is a global provider of sustainability solutions and offers a growing range of sustainable manufactured solutions and services across the food, beverage, healthcare, and CPG categories. For more information visit www.zume.com.
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