OMRON has built a new energy usage system that employs electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) at its Kusatsu Factory. It is among the largest EDLC-based energy storage systems in the world.

This system employs electricity generated from 100kW solar panels along with a commercial power source, to power lighting within the factory while storing excess electricity in EDLC electricity storage devices. By using this stored electricity on rainy or cloudy days or at night when solar power generation is limited, at full capacity the system can provide approximately 10% of the energy required by the factory's No. 3 building with an area of 12,000m2.

New natural energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass have an unstable power output, which has been a major hurdle to large-scale deployment. By taking advantage of the capacitor's characteristics, including high charge/discharge efficiency and the capability to store even very low power, OMRON's system can equalize and stabilize output power. From now on, OMRON will develop and accumulate technology and expertise for effectively using new energy sources through experimental operation of the system, toward the aim of creating products and services that help protect the environment.

New Energy Usage System

• Solar Power Generation