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In March 2007, the Green & Sustainable Chemistry Network, Japan (GSCN)* presented the 7th Green and Sustainable Chemistry Award Awarded by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to three Mitsubishi Chemical Group companies—Mitsubishi Chemical, Mitsubishi Chemical Group Science and Technology Research Center, Inc. and Mitsubishi Chemical Engineering Corporation.
The award recognizes the companies’ development and successful adoption of a new environment-friendly catalysis method in the production of polyoxy tetramethylene glycol (PTMG).
PTMG is a polyether compound used as a raw material for highly elastic fibers, and which is in high demand today. The conventional process, which uses fluorosulfonic acid (one of the strongest acids available commercially) as the catalyst, produces large amounts of fluoride-containing salt as waste during the acid neutralization process.
The new technology uses a solid acid catalyst consisting of a compound oxide made of zirconia dioxide and silicon dioxide. This enables a chemical process that not only reduces energy use, but also eliminates the use of harmful fluorosulfonic acid while
dramatically reducing the amount of waste.
The Mitsubishi Chemical Group will continue to reduce environmental loads in every process of its business activities. Initiatives here include the development of environment-friendly technologies, resource and energy conservation, as well as the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.
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* Green & Sustainable Chemistry Network, Japan (GSCN)
GSCN was established in March 2000 by chemicalsocieties, organizations and government research institutes. It promotes activities that contribute to the realization of a sustainable society and enhancement of health, safety and environmental protection through scientific and technological innovation. |
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The evidence appears irrefutable: Global warming is here to stay, and it will have a profound impact not only on the daily lives of people worldwide, but also on corporations—how they do business and how they derive their profits.
While undoubtedly a challenging situation for the world, it does also open up investment opportunities in companies offering ways of overcoming the difficulties lying ahead.
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On April 14, 2008, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ began offering the Global Climate Change Fund, also called the Green Planet Fund, to Japanese customers. The fund invests in stock from countries around the world, including developing countries, through beneficiary certificates of the so-called Global Climate Change Mother Fund. Specifically, it invests in the equities and securities of companies that contribute to the fight against global warming in ways that can be expected to generate profits, for instance the development of renewable energy technologies.
Working together with experts on global warming, fund managers analyze how global warming impacts on corporate profits in various industries. Based on the
in-depth understanding of investment opportunities that results from this analysis,
they then identify the companies with the most promising ideas and build a portfolio.
*This article has been prepared for the sole purpose of information disclosure, and is not intended to solicit investment. |
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As concerns over climate change mount worldwide, the NYK Group, a global logistics provider with operations across land, sea and air, has devised an ambitious environmental program.
Under the NYK Cool Earth Project, launched on April 1 by NYK president Koji Miyahara, who will also directly oversee its implementation, the group aims to do the following: |
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Generate revolutionary innovation in hardware and equipment, including the creation of an advanced engine that reduces CO2 and other emissions to the lowest possible level. |
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Enhance the group’s response to policy discussions in Japan and abroad between governments and various organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Japan Business Federation, Japanese Shipowners’ Association, and other international institutions. |
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Accurately evaluate the financial effects on the group of these activities, such as expanded capital spending and reduced fuel expenses. |
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Study business model reforms that can help to reduce environmental loads, such as having more ships navigating at reduced speeds. |
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Actively make environmental contributions to society. |
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The project will run through March 2010, and be implemented through specialized work groups and a central full-time secretariat.
NYK has been active in the environmental area since 2001, when the company created a dedicated Safety and Environmental Management Committee. In January 2008, the company was included in the Global 100—the world’s 100 most sustainable companies. |
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Facing what it believes will be 30% growth in global shipment volume of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules for fiscal 2008, Mitsubishi Electric has opted to raise its production capacity from 150 MW to 220 MW as of October 2008. Looking further over the horizon, they plan to increase production capacity to 500 MW annually by fiscal 2013.
One of the biggest obstacles blocking higher production of this clean, low-maintenance source of renewable energy is a shortage of suitable silicon from which to make the solar cells. This is driving Mitsubishi Electric to develop thinner wafers that not only use less silicon, but also have improved efficiency and increased electrical output. Their efforts are bringing results.
In March 2008, Mitsubishi Electric announced it had achieved the world’s highest conversion efficiency rate of 18.6%, for a practical, multi-crystalline silicon solar cell of 150 mm2. Some of the innovations they |
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employed were a low-reflectivity surface texture, an optimized internal electrical structure that increased electric current generation, and narrowed front grid electrodes on the surface of the silicon to allow more sunlight to reach the cell.
Solar cells with these and other features should enter mass-production by fiscal 2011, making clean, reliable energy more affordable than ever before. |
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Many are concerned about the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on global warming. What if we could remove 90% of the gas produced from burning fossil fuels and recycle it as a useful product? There is a way. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has licensed its CO2 recovery technology to Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (NFCL), a fertilizer producer in India.
The licensed technology will employ a proprietary solvent, developed jointly with Kansai Electric Power Company, Inc., to absorb and recover up to 90% of the CO2 emitted in the flue gas when NFCL produces ammonia. The recovery units can capture 450 metric tons of CO2 per day, one of the world’s largest capacities. The CO2 will then become a feedstock for urea fertilizer production.
MHI’s CO2 recovery technology, officially known as the Kansai-Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process, consumes considerably less energy than other technology processes. |
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In addition to urea production, CO2 recovery technology can be employed in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), in which CO2 is injected into an oil reservoir to raise its productivity. Doing this also reduces the amount of greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere.
Going forward, MHI’s large-scale CO2 recovery facilities would seem to have a bright future. |
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