Mitsubishi Monitor

	Mitsubishi Plastics: Turning Biomass into Biodegradable Plastic
	MHI Improves Power while Cleaning up Ships' Engines
	Mitsubishi Electric: Solar Power Shines Brighter

Mitsubishi Plastics succeeded in developing new applications of an environment-friendly, biodegradable plastic film and sheet, called Ecoloju, using a polylactic acid (PLA), a material that is produced from biomass sources such as corn. The recent applications were for adhesive labels and synthetic papers. Mitsubishi Plastics recently worked with customers to bring two new products using Ecoloju onto the market.
Mitsubishi Plastics has been working aggressively for joint development of new Ecoloju products with customers. Its applications for Ecoloju have already expanded to many fields, including packaging, cards and lamination.
Mitsubishi Plastics also found success in utilizing PLA as a main material of a biodegradable temporary plastic pipe. This product offers about the same strength as the company's vinyl chloride (Hishi Pipe) and has similar applications, such as drainage pipe, except that it is for temporary installations. It can be left in the ground to gradually dissolve, saving costly and labor-intensive clean-up. Expectations for biodegradable plastics are high, therefore market demand for Ecoloju and other PLA-based products is forecast to rise rapidly.

Cars and trucks have efficient, low-pollution engines, so why not ships? So thought Mitsubishi Heavy Industries when they launched development of a new electronically controlled diesel ship engine. Now on the market, the engine uses the most advanced technology and meets the increasingly strict global emission standards for diesel ship engines. The Mitsubishi UEC Eco-Engine will first power a 6,400-vehicle capacity large transport car carrier of NYK Line.
The name "ECO" derives from numerous characteristics of the new engine, including the electronic control features, ecologically friendly design, easy control, economy and the excellence of the engine's condition, which translates to high reliability.
The UEC Eco-Engine's electronic control of fuel injection, exhaust regulation and start-up enables not only more efficient acceleration from rest but better ultra low-speed control, improved overall operability, a reduction of 15% in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, and reduced emissions of soot and smoke. Added to these operational and environmental advantages is improved fuel efficiency due to a reduction in parts load, and reduced cylinder oil usage.

Solar power is one of the most promising sources of energy for the future, as concern for the environment is pressing and petrochemical sources are deemed to have limits.
  Mitsubishi Electric is a true pioneer in this field. It has been working on the technology since the 1970s, when it launched its first PV (photovoltaic) modules to provide power to satellites. If you can imagine how durable and reliable PV modules need to be to withstand the hot and cold extremes of outer space, you can get an idea of how well Mitsubishi Electric PV modules work right here on Earth.
  Indeed, the company has earned some awards for its achievements, including the New Energy Vanguard 21 prize for a power conditioner, the Good Design Award for a roof-integrated module and the 6th New Energy Award for a residential roof system.
  With many countries currently undertaking environmental preservation measures, world demand for solar cells is surging. Annual growth was over 30% last year. To meet this trend, as well as to induce wider use of environment-friendly, economical solar power, Mitsubishi Electric decided to increase its production of PV cells and modules. The current combined annual production capacity of 90 MW in its Iida and Kyoto factories will be increased to 135 MW by April 2005. After fiscal 2006, Mitsubishi Electric plans to push capacity all the way up to 230 MW.