Close ties with the Earth

MHI responding to global energy and environmental issues through a broad spectrum of products and technologies

Today, amid growing concerns about depletion of oil and other fossil fuels, coupled with issues raised by the disastrous events at TEPCO's Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant in March 2011, energy problems are again in the spotlight all around the world. In particular, swift measures are being called for to cope with dramatically expanding energy demand in China, India and other emerging economies that are now marking robust economic growth, and with accompanying increases in CO₂ emissions.
In response to these issues, today MHI is providing a wide array of energy products and technologies: for example, for generating power not only from traditional fossil and nuclear fuels, but also from renewable energy sources such as geothermal and wind power and biomass, and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for storing generated electricity. Through provision of products and technologies matching the needs of each nation or region, each of which has its own energy policies and resource procurement situations, we are contributing to the resolution of energy and environmental issues worldwide.

China
Contributing to China's pursuit of energy shift
Provision of high-efficiency gas turbines and technologies

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Dongfang
Gas Turbine (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.

In recent years China, a country marking economic growth at an astonishing pace, has been aggressively promoting the introduction of natural gas energy to respond to its rapidly expanding energy demand and to the accompanying problems involving global warming. At the same time China is also proactively pursuing technology transfers from beyond its borders in a quest to achieve domestic production of power generation equipment and plants fired by natural gas.
To respond to these energy issues and policy initiatives in China, in 2003 MHI concluded a Technology License Agreement on the transfer of the MHI's large-scale gas turbine manufacturing technology with Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) and Dongfang Turbine Co., Ltd. (DTC), which is under DEC's corporate umbrella , group of China's "big three" heavy electrical machinery manufacturers. In 2004 MHI and DTC jointly established Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Dongfang Gas Turbine (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (MHI-DGT) and launched local production and after-sale servicing of combustors and other core components of gas turbines. As of April 2012, MHI and DEC/DTC have taken orders for total 28 gas turbines for natural-gas-fired gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants. Deliveries are in progress.

Proposal of a power generation system meeting the Beijing area's energy situation

In April 2010 DEC and DTC received an order from Huaneng Beijing Co-generation Power Co., Ltd., a group company of Huaneng Power International, Inc. (HPI), China's largest power provider, for a GTCC plant to be constructed near Beijing. The order resulted from a new system proposal put forward by MHI for coping with Beijing's energy picture.
In winter months in Beijing, when temperatures can drop below -10℃, a district heating system is adopted. The system's central heat supply network, the world's largest, covers an area of 80 million square meters in which it supplies a heat source to homes and businesses. Extraction steam from a steam turbine is utilized for this heat supply, but because the existing system has not provided steam heat in sufficient volumes, boilers have been installed throughout the city to reheat the steam before supplying it to users. However, since these boilers are fired primarily using coal, environmental issues arising from CO₂ emissions and general air pollution have become increasingly serious.

To alleviate this situation, MHI proposed the city adopt a combined-cycle power generation system adaptable to the seasons. In winter, steam generated from the high-temperature waste heat from gas turbines can serve as the primary heating source, and in other seasons the same steam can be utilized to generate electricity. This dual system has enabled a suitable supply of heat and electricity according to demand.
In addition, the adoption of the very latest gas turbine, MHI's M701F4, raises generation efficiency by approximately 2% relative to the previous system. Moreover, as the amount of required fuel is reduced, the new system can be expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 35,000 tons, against an annual emissions volume of roughly 1.6 million tons. This figure corresponds to a yearly CO₂ absorption volume equivalent to some 7,600 hectares of natural forest (mostly beech trees).
Through the provision of products and technologies enabling stable and efficient energy supplies, reductions in fuel costs, and trimming of CO₂ emissions, MHI is making tangible contributions to the realization in China of the 3E's – energy security, environmental protection and economic growth – matching the country's energy situation.

Expectations of MHI

We hope to forge a win-win relationship with MHI, for greater rewards in the future.

Zhang Fang
Project Manager
Plan & Project Management Department
Dongfang Turbine Co., Ltd.

On the Huaneng Beijing Project, I was in charge of planning, technology, quality, liaison with workers, and equipment deliveries. I consistently strove to make everything go smoothly in our dealings with MHI, end users and the engineering consulting in China.
We experienced some difficulties in building the control system logic and adjusting all the equipment, but MHI is giving us complete backup support. Going forward, through technology transfers we hope to forge a win-win relationship between our company and MHI, to enable us to someday realize in-house capabilities in machinery production, installation and overall coordination.

India
Contribution to India's power supply
Response to the nation's growth-stifling energy problem

In India today, power supply capability is unable to keep pace with expansion in the nation's power demand, thus posing an obstacle to further economic growth. In 2009 the country labored under an average 10% shortfall in power, and near 13% insufficiency during peak usage.
India is a nation blessed with abundant natural resources. It ranks fifth globally in terms of known coal reserves, and roughly 70% of the country's power generation relies on coal. Coal-fired power also forms the center of India's power plant plans through 2030, and for this reason securing required power while simultaneously curbing CO₂ emissions is a pressing issue.
Until now the bulk of India's power generation facilities have been provided by a state-owned heavy electrical machinery manufacturer and the nation's expanding power demand will exceed the production capacity of the firm alone. Today, therefore, from the perspective of building up its domestic industry, India has mapped out plans to increase the number of Indian companies capable of producing power generation facilities.

Expanding power supplies through local production at high-performance plants

In response to this issue and India's needs, MHI entered a partnership with the country's largest construction firm, Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), with the aim of providing supercritical pressure coal-fired thermal power plants. By using steam of higher temperature and pressure levels, supercritical pressure plants deliver enhanced power generation efficiency and emit less CO₂ than the subcritical pressure coal-fired plants that now form the mainstream in India.
Supercritical pressure coal-fired power plants can generate 4-5% more power than subcritical pressure plants from the identical amount of fuel. In India, this enables a reduction in CO₂ emissions by approximately 180,000 tons per year per plant with the typical output of 660 MW.
To support India's quest for local engineering and production of power generation equipment, MHI has formed two joint ventures with L&T: L&T-MHI Turbine Generators Private Limited to produce supercritical pressure steam turbines and generators, and L&T-MHI Boilers Private Limited to produce supercritical pressure boilers. Starting from the factory construction stage, MHI has provided the two JVs with technical guidance in engineering design and manufacture, and guidance in quality control and safety management.
Both factories commenced operations in June 2010, and they have been acknowledged for their environmental compatibility by the Indian Green Building Council and certified for quality by "ISO 9001" designation and for labor safety management by "OHSAS 18001" designation. The two factories are also now awaiting "ISO 14001" certification for their environmental management systems. As these designations attest, today the two plants are undertaking manufacturing of high quality, with full attention paid to environmental and labor safety needs.
The two factories have also created a total of more than 2,500 local jobs, thus contributing to development of the regional economy.

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• Power Systems

Through a wide array of products, technologies and total solutions, MHI contributes to the realization of a sustainable future for the Earth and all its inhabitants.

Make
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Wind turbine

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Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

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