Promoting clean power and electrification-related business

Major changes are currently taking place in global energy markets. Europe, the United States and other developed nations across the world have liberalized their energy markets, new businesses are emerging through technological innovation, companies are strengthening their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategies, and there is a growing need for power grid resilience. Our goal is to create clean and sustainable businesses relating to power and electrification that can meet the diverse needs of society and customers.

In 2017 we established Forefront Power, a U.S.-based distributed solar power business, and following our acquisition and integration of SunEdison's Commercial & Industrial Division, we have been working to develop distributed solar power in the United States and abroad. In recent years, the surge in volume of renewable energy being generated has led to a number of issues, including increased load on transmission and distribution grid systems, imbalance in electricity bills, and complicated supply and demand adjustments. In response, we are working to develop new business models that offer energy management services to meet the needs of diversifying consumers, while also promoting the global development of distributed power generation.

In response to increased market volatility caused by the rapid spread of renewable energy, we are working to meet the emerging needs of both power producers and consumers resulting from such structural changes in the industry, by providing a wide range of solutions such as price hedging and supply/demand adjustment, and to expand businesses and improve functions in the electricity wholesale and trading field on a global scale.

In Europe, where mobility is becoming increasingly electrified, we have been engaged in promoting electrification through investments in Forsee and NEoT Capital in France and The Mobility House in Germany, and work to provide solution services utilizing our invested technologies such as the development of secondary uses for stationary storage batteries and energy storage services for grid operators.

Providing solutions for next-generation energy

In pursuit of carbon neutrality, we provide a range of solutions for the production and commercialization of low-carbon energy through our work, such as the development and production of biofuels and other renewable energy fuels, the development and commercialization of hydrogen, ammonia and other next-generation energy, the creation of emission credits through CO2 abatement, and the development of CO2 utilization and storage technologies. We also contribute to the realization of a circular economy by producing biogas from waste. As an example of our next-generation fuel initiatives, we invested in LanzaTech, a venture company that produces next-generation ethanol using microbial gas fermentation technology, and Terreva Renewables, a US renewable natural gas production and sales company. We also invest in a renewable diesel (hydrotreated vegetable oil/HVO) and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) production business operated by Galp, Portugal’s biggest energy company. We are currently promoting next-generation fuel production on a global scale using these technologies, with the goal of contributing to further lowering the carbon footprint of fuels.

In hydrogen, we have participated in a renewable hydrogen project, and are working on multiple initiatives aimed at establishing a hydrogen and ammonia supply chain. This includes a supply chain demonstration project using the organic chemical hydride method, and a joint study for the development of bases for receiving, storing, and supplying ammonia in Japan. Our goal through this work is to contribute to the realization of a “hydrogen society,” in which hydrogen is widely used in everyday life and in industrial activities.