ICEF2015 Thematic Discussion
Energy Systems
Energy supply and demand should be considered as a system composed of element technologies, and also as a societal subsystem related strongly with national security, economic development and environmental sustainability. In this session, recent topics including changes in the global energy market, possible emergence of new technologies and the relationship between the energy system and the ecosystem will be discussed. Furthermore, important long-term issues for the energy system will also be considered.
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Kenji Yamaji [Chair], Director-General, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) Energy system is a system composed of various element technologies. It is also a subsystem of society limited by resource on the surface of the earth. We are now in a great transition facing geopolitical and environmental threats. On the other hand, we are experiencing technological innovations such as a smart grid with ICT, mobilization of demand-side resources, and shale revolution. We have to grasp energy problem from systematic view to overcome current threats and achieve global sustainability. In this session, we will share these new trends by introducing actual examples. Natural gas use could have co-benefit on health. Clean coal technology could play important role to reduce GHG and achieve energy security. ICT is beneficial for energy saving and smart management while it has cyber risk. Biomass energy supply has trade-off relationship against food supply under a limit of available land. By examining these examples, we will discuss what actions are required for promoting further innovations in energy system globally. . |
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Hiroshi Esaki, Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo IT and ICT for smart city is its brains and nerve systems to let it smart. Here, we have to recognize the meaning of “smart” by IT and ICT. First of all, the smart system using the IT and ICT technology/system should not only be focusing on energy saving nor environmental preservation, but also be contributing to other outcomes and contribution using the same platform. This is “Eco-System by Design” or “Transparency of resource”. Smart city design and implementation is a kind of IoT(Internet of Things) using current terminology. In the IoT system, the system tends to be fragmented, due to various business and technological objectives. However, the interoperability among all the systems is critical and important for the future mutation and sustainability of the IoT system. This is like “The Internet” has achieved, i.e., Multi-Purpose Eco-system using transparent unique shared infrastructure. This can be said as “Internet by Design”. Of course, since all the system could be connected, the cyber security is one of critical challenges for smart city. For smart city by IT and ICT, we recognize two approaches; one is the facilities on the net and the other is computers into the net (i.e., data center with cloud technology). With this eco-system based on the Internet by Design, four objectives will be able to achieved using the single shared infrastructure; (1) energy saving, (2) BCP(Business Continuation Plan), (3) TQC(Total Quality Control), and (4) Innovative new business. |
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Shozo Kaneko, Professor, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo |
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