Japan takes steps to save energy, protect environment

Manufacturing units in Japan are taking various measures to protect the environment by saving energy.

The OMRON Corporation, which produces healthcare products such as thermometers and tonometers, has reduced its power consumption by 50 per cent through the Andon environmental information system.

At OMRON's Ayabe plant in Kyoto, 158 sensors have been installed on the floor to monitor the usage of power, temperature, humidity, air flow and dust particles.

Hideo Uda, Manager, Industrial Automation Company, OMRON Corporation, said: "The air inside the room needs to be very clean. The air pressure inside must be higher than outside in order to avoid the inflow of particles. Earlier, we used to keep air conditioner running all the time to maintain the filtered clean air. Then, we installed sensors to measure air pressure in the room. It helps to detect dust particles in the air. The Andon Environmental Information system helps to get real time data."

Since the March 2011 earthquake-cum-tsunami, efforts are on to save energy at the household level too, especially to reduce electricity bills.

After the cabinet approval of liberalization of electricity retail market in April 2013, people have become conscious about saving electricity.

Mr. Ataru Yoshida, who lives in Tokyo, has taken energy service for households by One Energy Corporation, which helps store electricity in a battery and distributes it through smart house application.

The rental cost of the device is about 5,000 Yen per month, but it is still economical.

Yoshida now saves 6-7,000 Yen with the smart house application.

"The price of electricity varies from day to night. At night, it is cheaper at 11.82 Yen (per kWh). This blue graph shows cheap electricity during midnight when I charge the battery. In the daytime the electricity price rises up to 30.77 Yen (per kWh). I use stored power from the battery from 7 am till the night," said Yoshida of Orix Corporation.

Such initiatives by various companies and individuals in Japan are helping save energy and protect the environment.