Japan's First Regional Emergency Power Supply System Commences Operation

F-Grid Ohira, Miyagi Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), represented by Toyota Motor Corporation, announced today that it has commenced operation of a regional emergency power supply system within its smart community project.

At the same time, a joint exercise simulating the provision of electricity to the region during emergencies was also conducted today around the Second North Sendai Central Industrial Area and near Ohira Village Hall, with about 50 participants representing the 11 companies in the LLP and Ohira Village Hall.

The project began in October 2011, when a Japanese government grant for promoting smart communities was approved for an energy-management system in the Second North Sendai Central Industrial Area.

The F-Grid Concept is a system based on the idea of creating sustainable, regionally-integrated towns and industrial areas that control and optimize power usage. This can be achieved through area-wide flexible distribution of electric power and heat generated at privately owned power facilities using city gas, together with power purchased from power companies. Since the LLP was founded in February 2013, the system was expanded in stages, and now has 11 corporations participating as LLP members. Compared with fiscal 2011 (before the F-Grid was introduced), plants within the Second North Sendai Central Industrial Area have managed to reduce energy procurement costs and improve economic efficiency, such as achieving about 20 percent savings in energy and reduction in CO2 emissions of about 23 percent.

In addition, when there are prolonged power outages during times of emergency, energy is not just provided to plants within the F-Grid. Unused electricity generated stably and safely by privately owned power facilities will be purchased by Tohoku Electric Power and provided to emergency centers in the surrounding region, such as the Ohira Village Hall. F-Grid's power supply to the surrounding region is the first of its kind in the nation. Furthermore, eight plug-in hybrid vehicles that can act as external power sources and charging/discharging systems, comprising storage batteries used in hybrid vehicles and solar power generators that have been installed in two locations, act as emergency power sources to improve initial response capability in order to support regional recovery activities during times of need.

The LLP aims to contribute to the creation of stable, regionally-integrated towns and industrial areas by maintaining and improving environmental performance, economic efficiency and energy security (3E) through the continuous development of this project.

LLP business details

1. Provision of electricity to LLP members
2. Provision of heating (including steam and hot water; same applies below) to LLP members
3. Sale, leasing, and rental of required facilities, equipment, software, etc. for electricity provision, heating provision, electricity conservation, energy conservation, storage of electricity, and energy management
4. Commissioned assignment to conduct maintenance/administration tasks for electricity- and heating-related facilities owned by LLP members
5. Provision of information to LLP members regarding electricity- and heating-related technology, knowledge, expertise, etc.
6. Sales of electricity to power companies supplying electricity to regional citizens and public facilities located near the Second North Sendai Central Industrial Area in times of large-scale disasters, such as earthquakes

Control and optimization of energy distribution enabling flexible allocation to plants throughout the industrial area. Balance between grid power purchased from power companies and electricity/heat generated by privately owned power facilities (using city gas) owned by LLP members.

Unused electricity generated by privately owned power facilities within F-Grid will be purchased by Tohoku Electric Power, which will provide that electricity to the surrounding region, including the Ohira Village Hall and other emergency centers, using its high voltage power lines.