Toshiba, Kobelco and Keio Univ to develop hybrid power control system

Technology Sep. 22, 2012 - 04:41AM JST ( 3 )

TOKYO —

Toshiba Corp, Kobe Steel Ltd and Keio University have been selected by the Ministry of Environment to develop and verify a hybrid power control system for concentrated solar power (CSP), wind turbine and biomass binary power generation.

The companies aim to develop a stable hybrid power control system for CSP, wind turbine and a biomass binary power generating system and provide feed-in to the grid. The system will be based on an existing 1.5MW wind turbine in combination with a new CSP system and biomass binary power generating system. The binary power generating system integrates a chip boiler that produces steam to drive a turbine by heating a working medium with a low boiling point. It will also deliver hot water to the system’s users. The total construction cost is expected to be around 680 million yen, half of which will be covered by a subsidy from Ministry of Environment.

Renewable energy is subject to fluctuations in power output, particularly wind turbine, where the scale of fluctuation can have a major impact on the power grid. Toshiba will develop a concentrated solar power collector and conduct overall plant engineering. Keio University will work with Toshiba to develop a system to control output fluctuations and Kobe Steel will develop the biomass binary power generating system.

The system will be built in Minami Awaji, a city in Hyogo Prefecture, west of Osaka, the central area of Awaji environmental future island concept. The three companies will prepare the site in the current fiscal year and start operation in fiscal year of 2013. System verification will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2014.