MHI Group Presents “Best Innovation 2021” Awards for Activities that Contribute to Mitigating Impacts on the Global Environment -- Target on Achieving a Sustainable Society through Ongoing Advances in the Company’s Growth Strategy Areas --

MHIENG currently accounts for the world’s highest share with respect to volume of CO₂ captured from post-combustion flue gas at commercial plants. As demand has grown for carbon capture from diverse emission sources increasingly – biomass-fueled power plants, LNG liquefaction plants, cement factories, waste-to-energy plants, etc. – MHIENG has received orders worldwide for its services in basic design, pilot demonstration, licensing, etc. In August 2021 the company completed commercialization of its innovative “KS-21™” , a new amine-based solvent developed jointly with Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., following demonstration testing at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) in Norway, one of the world’s largest carbon capture demonstration facilities. The results indicate the solvent’s high reliability in CO₂ capture from post-combustion flue gas.

Most conventional circulation-type heat pumps have used refrigerants with a high global warming potential (GWP), raising the need for improvement in terms of lessening environmental impact. The “Q-ton Circulation” heat pump developed by MHI Thermal Systems offers outstanding efficiency and adopts an innovative refrigerant: the R454C featuring a low GWP. Its adoption, which contributes to mitigation of the heat pump’s environmental impact, is unprecedented in Japan. The Q-ton Circulation also adopts a two-stage compression refrigeration cycle incorporating a proprietary high-efficiency, large-capacity 3D scroll compressor. Together these features enable provision of 75°C hot water within a remarkably broad range of outside temperatures (-20°C to +43°C), with outstanding energy efficiency. The Q-ton Circulation results in significantly reduced running costs and CO₂ emissions.

Two M701F gas turbines formerly used for power supply after the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster have been reused for service at other power generation facilities. By reusing as much equipment as possible and owing to turbines’ advantages, including reduced fuel consumption and decreased CO₂ emissions thanks to higher thermal efficiency, reduction in environmental impact.

MHIEC has received multiple orders for construction projects to improve the core components of existing waste management facilities previously delivered. The orders are attributable to the company’s proactive proposals to local governments of ways to reduce carbon emissions – which is a requisite for receiving a government subsidy for promoting the formation of a recycling society – and its proposals for extending the service life of current incineration plants (conventionally 20 to 25 years) by 10 to 15 years, or more. To reduce carbon emissions, MHIEC has proposed its proprietary new combustion control system, exhaust gas recirculation system, catalyst bag filter, low-temperature catalyst, etc. By improving boiler efficiency and power generation output, these innovations have contributed to mitigating environmental impacts by reducing carbon emissions.

The “EDiA XL” is a newly launched mid-size electric forklift truck equipped with a host of advanced new features, but at a remarkably low price. These include: AutoBoost, which provides an extra power boost on inclines and during acceleration; Lowering Adaption Control, for stability when lowering the mast; and slippage control, delivering optimal torque control of the left and right wheels on slippery surfaces. As an electric forklift that also responds to usage environments for engine-powered forklifts, the EDiA XL is engineered for the needs of the market amid growing demand for electric forklift trucks, toward realization of a carbon neutral society.

MHI Thermal Systems has developed an efficient aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system of 700kW scale applying the technology of high-efficiency inverter centrifugal chillers and using deep aquifer groundwater, which maintains a stable temperature year-round, as a heat source. The system performs underground storage of the exhaust heat generated during air conditioning in summer and the cold exhaust given off during heating in winter. The minimal difference in temperature during air conditioning and heating enables significant energy savings throughout the year, and helps to prevent urban heat island (UHI). This efficient use of energy across the seasons is an epoch-making achievement, and by eliminating the need for water supply with standard air-conditioning systems, ATES provides superlative environmental benefit.

MHI has developed high-performance steam turbine technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The technologies consist of high-performance blade train, a low-loss side exhaust structure, clearance prediction and control technologies, a new type of seal, and low-loss high specific load bearings. These technologies have been applied in a steam turbine at T-Point 2, the Company’s in-house demonstration gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant, and system verification has been completed. Outstanding performance was pursued through application of such cutting-edge technologies as one through integral analysis of the blade train and exhaust chamber, and 3D multi-stage flow analysis. At T-Point 2, the steam turbine performance was enhanced by 3% than previous turbines, and with the M501JAC gas turbine the world’s highest power generation efficiency, 64%, was achieved. MHI’s new steam turbine technologies are also noteworthy in their applicability not only to GTCC systems but also to rotor retrofitting of thermal systems, small to mid-size systems (industrial in-house power generation turbines, biomass-powered turbines, and geothermal turbines), as well as nuclear-powered systems.

In a consortium with Keolis SA, a subsidiary of SNCF (French National Railway Company), and Mitsubishi Corporation, MHIENG acquired business concession for operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro, a fully automated, driverless rail system as well as operation of the Dubai Tram network in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The business concession was obtained through a contract concluded with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The event marks the first time MHI Group is directly participating in the operation of urban rail transport systems outside Japan. The arrangement represents an unprecedented investment-dividend stock-based business model in the transport industry of MHI Group.

Mitsubishi Logisnext has developed a forklift troubleshooting system, named L-SAS (Logisnext - Service Assistant System). By using IT technology to balance the failure diagnosis technique at a higher level. Nowadays, service personnel are not only required to acquire ever more knowledge to cope with the increased wide variety of equipment, but experience is also necessary for the failure diagnosis. By using L-SAS, anyone can perform failure diagnosis like an experienced service personnel and the reduction of system downtime is possible.