2023/12/19

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Daikin Industries, Ltd.
TIS Corp.
Matsumoto Precision Co., Ltd.
General Incorporated Association AICT Consortium

Four companies, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Nissan), Daikin Industries, Ltd. (hereafter, Daikin), TIS Corporation (hereafter, TIS), and Matsumoto Precision Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Matsumoto Precision), utilize renewable energy under the participating general incorporated association AiCT Consortium (hereafter, the AiCT Consortium) to charge and discharge control systems for electric vehicles (hereafter, “EVs”) and demand systems for commercial air conditioning control Practical application verification for the construction of a new combined energy management system will begin today.

Effective use of renewable energy to achieve decarbonization requires “supply-demand adjustment power,” which adjusts the supply-demand balance of electricity. For example, if the operation of heat pump equipment such as air conditioners and hot water heaters, which account for a large percentage of electricity usage in homes and offices, is controlled so that power supply and demand balance can be maintained without increasing the amount of power generated.

In this practical application verification, Matsumoto Precision headquarters (Kitakata-shi, Fukushima-ken) uses a total of 4 EVs (Nissan Ariya, Nissan Leaf, Nissan Sakura) owned by the company as company cars and 1 EV (Nissan Sakura) that employees use for commuting, and a Nissan control system that autonomously charges and discharges EVs, and Daikin's high-efficiency air conditioner and air conditioning control demand system to verify coordinated control of EVs and air conditioning.

By utilizing renewable energy from solar power generation on the Matsumoto Precision site, high-capacity batteries for EVs and commercial air conditioning are coordinated with advanced energy control technology, we aim to realize efficient energy management without compromising the comfort of the work environment due to air conditioning, while contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.
At the same time, we will work to reduce electricity costs by producing energy locally for local consumption.

Furthermore, based on this initiative, future VPP^※Aiming to be used as a platform, we will also perform data analysis and verification combining TIS's ICT infrastructure technology. Furthermore, for efficient use of energy, the active participation of EV users is essential, and we are also considering introducing a mechanism to add “Aizu Coin” points when electricity is supplied from Matsumoto Precision employee EVs in cooperation with the regional currency “Aizu Coin,” which can be used in the Aizu region.

The new energy management that Matsumoto Precision is working on practical application verification under this scheme is also considering introducing it to public facilities in Kitakata City and Aizuwakamatsu City in the future, and it is planned to develop it into the first initiative in Japan to decarbonize and stably supply energy throughout the region.

The four companies working on practical application verification this time all participated in the AICT consortium working to realize a citizen-centered smart city in Aizuwakamatsu City, and this project was implemented while strengthening cooperation to realize a recycling-oriented society through efficient use of energy. Going forward, we will continue to work together to decarbonize and revitalize the economy through the “Innovation Model for Regional Enterprises.”

*VPP: virtual power plant (virtual power plant). A mechanism that virtually bundles distributed energy resources using IoT and adjusts the supply-demand balance of electricity

The General Incorporated Association AICT Consortium, which aims to realize smart cities centered on citizens, positions energy management for the realization of a decarbonized society as one of the important fields, and is promoting various initiatives such as the realization of a zero-carbon city by 2030 in Aizuwakamatsu City and regional circulation services for the environmental value of electricity in the digital garden city nation plan. Now, through the collaboration of AiCT consortium member companies, we aim to demonstrate a new energy management model that also leads to contributions to regional economies, and further expand from Aizu to the whole country and further to the world in the future.

To achieve carbon neutrality, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. introduced mass-marketed EVs to markets around the world ahead of other companies, and has also invested in charging infrastructure. We are also promoting Japan's electrification action “Blue Switch,” which works to transform society and resolve regional issues through the use of EVs. Now, we aim to build an energy management system that promotes local production for local consumption of clean energy by utilizing EVs as running storage batteries and control systems that autonomously charge and discharge them.

Daikin Industries, Ltd. has set “challenges to carbon neutrality,” “promotion of solution businesses connected to customers,” and “creation of air value” as growth strategies in the strategic management plan “FUSION25.” Utilizing an air conditioning control demand system that cooperatively controls EVs and air conditioners, we will promote the construction of a new energy management system, and aim to contribute to regional economies and local residents by promoting stable regional energy supply, decarbonization, and heat countermeasures by improving indoor environments.

TIS Co., Ltd., of the TIS Intec Group, is a business partner of over 3,000 companies in various industries such as finance, industry, public, and distribution services, to face all kinds of management issues for customers and provide “IT to support growth strategies.” Initiatives for “low decarbonization” are also being promoted as solutions to social issues, and in this verification, we will utilize the VPP platform developed in-house, and in this verification, we will utilize the VPP platform developed in-house, contributing to practical application verification and the construction of energy management systems.

Matsumoto Precision Co., Ltd. is a parts supplier that has established an integrated production system for machining, heat treatment, and polishing of air pressure control parts and automotive parts for the 75th anniversary of its establishment. Aiming to be a “leading company recognized by local communities,” as described in our mission statement, we started factory branding centered on environmental value management, called THE SUSTAINABLE FACTORY. We will continue to disseminate innovation models for regional companies by verifying the practical application of energy management systems.

＜Related website URL＞
AICT Consortium website
https://www.aict.or.jp/

Nissan Motor Japan Electrification Action “Blue Switch”
https://www3.nissan.co.jp/first-contact-technology/blue-switch.html

Daikin Industries Cloud Air Conditioning Control Service “DK-CONNECT”
https://www.ac.daikin.co.jp/solution/dkconnect

TIS's “VPP Platform”
https://www.tis.jp/service_solution/Carbony/VPP/

Matsumoto Precision website
https://matsumoto-pre.co.jp/

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