Research and development on renewable energy and systems such as solar, wind, biomass etc.

Background and purpose of establishing the Division

Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. To address this issue, it is essential to shift our energy systems away from dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, and toward renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass. While conventional power supply systems primarily relied on nuclear and thermal power plants to provide a stable energy supply, today’s energy landscape has become far more complex. A wide variety of renewable energy sources are now connected to the power grid, and their output often fluctuates due to weather and seasonal factors. As a result, the operation and management of energy systems and infrastructure has become increasingly sophisticated and critical. Moreover, challenges related to cost and energy　conversion efficiency cannot be addressed by conventional technologies alone. In response to these societal needs, the Division of Renewable Energy promotes a wide range of research activities aimed at supporting the adoption and stable operation of renewable energy technologies. Our key research objectives include:

(i) Development of cost-competitive power generation materials comparable to fossil fuel-based systems.
(ii) Advancement of power management technologies that efficiently integrate multiple types of renewable energy sources.
(iii) Creation of next-generation energy technologies through novel materials and system designs.
(iv) Promotion of collaborative research with both internal and external institutions.

Through these initiatives, we aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and resilient
energy future.

Research Activities

As a research and development hub for renewable energy technology, we will realize novel renewable energy materials and power generation systems through vertical integration of technologies, as well as educate the next generation of researchers and disseminate the technology to society. Specifically, the following activities will be carried out:

Renewable energy materials group:

( i ) Proposal of ultra-high efficiency power generation device by tandem configuration of thin film solar cells/thermoelectric generation elements.
( i i ) Establishment of hydrogen production technology using solar cell thin films and charging technology such as supercapacitors.
( i i i ) Development of ultra-low-cost solar and fuel cell materials and manufacturing methods, and examination of their common basic technology.

Energy management group:

( i ) Development of technologies of failure diagnosis, remote diagnosis, power generation prediction and AI utilization for energy loss control.
( i i ) Integration of smoothing technology development for wind × solar power generation and power storage technology such as batteries and flywheels.
( i i i ) Solar matching for agriculture and application of renewable energy technologies to smart houses.