2021

79

Reporting on Today and Tomorrow's Energy, Environmental and Industrial Technologies

Special Report
Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery ofEnvironment

GlobalCool Earth & Clean Earth

t
or
p
e
R
s
w
e
N
Updateson NE DO

activ

evelopities to dadvanced techno

logies

Topic for this issue Toward a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society in 2050

Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R)
Attracting Attention as One of World's Largest
Hydrogen Production Facilities Using Renewable Energy
Attracting visitors from overseas as well as JapanNEDO has constructed the Fukushima Hydrogen
Energy Research Field (FH2R) in Namie Town,
Fukushima Prefecture. FH2R is equipped with one of
the world's largest hydrogen production facilities and ademonstration project started there in July 2020.
At FH2R, hydrogen is being produced using
electricity generated by a 20 MW solar power generation
facility with the aim of realizing power-to-gas
technology.

The project has attracted attention both in Japan andoverseas, and has been visited by cabinet ministers suchas Environment Minister Koizumi, as well as theambassadors of five Nordic countries (Denmark,Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden), where theintroduction of renewable energy is expanding. FH2R is
expected to contribute to the realization of adecarbonized society using technology that does notemit CO2 at any point, from the production of energy toits utilization.

Ambassadors to Japan from five Nordic countries visited FH2R on November 17, 2020

04
2021

79

02

02

NEDO News Report
Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research
Field (FH2R) Attracting Attention as One
of World's Largest Hydrogen Production
Facilities Using Renewable Energy

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Special Report

Moonshot Research andDevelopment Program-Cool Earth & Clean Earth-06
08

https://www.nedo.go.jp/ugoki/
ZZ_100968.html(only available in Japanese)

Environment Minister Koizumi visited FH2R on July 19, 2020

Pursuing Recovery of
Global Environment

Contents

Scan below for further information:

Pursuing a Cool Earth and a Clean EarthMoonshot Research and Development
ProgramDevelopment of Technologies to Recover
Greenhouse Gases (“GHGs”) andConvert Them into Valuable Materials

11

Development of Technologies to Recover
Nitrogen Compounds and Convert Them
into Harmless or Useful Materials

12

Development of Marine Biodegradable

14

Technology Strategy Center Report

Plastics Which Can Control the Timing and
Speed of Their Degradability
U.S. Technology Innovation and Climate
Change Policy Changes under President

Biden

16

NEDO Project Success Stories, Vol. 3
A Personal Mobility That Is Tru
ly InvitingMore information about FH2R
STARTWhat kind of facility is FH2R?

FH2R is a hydrogen production facilit y thatlaunche d operations in Februar y 2020. It isequipped with a 10 MW hydrogen production unit,
one of the large st in the world, which use s
renewable energy and is capable of producing
1,200 Nm³ of hydrogen per hour under rated
operations. The facility also aims to maximize theutilization of renewable energy by adjusting the
supply and demand to the electric power system,
as well as realize clean and low-cost hydrogenproduction technology.

What happens with the hydrogen produced at
FH2R?

Compressed hydrogen trailer going
to power plants, factories, andvarious hydrogen stations
Hydrogen produced at FH2R is transported to
public facilities and hydrogen stations around Japanby trailers and storage racks for hydrogen storage andusage in transportation.

T h e hy d r o g e n i s t r a n s p o r te d m a i n l y u s i n gcompressed hydrogen trailers and storage racks
and is used for power generation using stationary
fuel cells, and for mobility applications, such asfuel cell-powered cars and buses.
For more information, please visit the following
webpage:https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/AA5en_100422.html

Fuel cell batteries provided to roadside market in Namie Town. Stationary fuel cellbatteries use hydrogen to generate power used for electricity and heat in public
facilities.

18

Startup Support and Beyond
The Future for NEDO Startups
Liberaware Co., Ltd.
Luce Search Co., Ltd.

20

NEDO Information

Useful information from NEDO

Note: To prevent the spread of COVID-19, persons appearing in photos wore facialcoverings except during the time photos were taken.

Reporting on Today and Tomorrow’s Energy, Environmental, andIndustrial Technologies“Focus NEDO” is the public relations magazine of the New Energy andIndustry Technology Development Organization (NEDO), introducing
the public to NEDO’s various projects and technology development
activities related to energy, environmental, and industrial technologies.

At hydrogen stations, fuel cell-powered cars and buses are refueled.
Source: Iwatani Corporation

Please let us
hear your views!

Reader
Questionnaire
We welcome your feedback andopinions on the content andtechnologies introduced in thismagazine. Your feedback will be
used for reference purposes in our
future public relations activities
and magazine publications. We
look forward to hearing from you!

A Few Words from the Editor
After Prime Minister Suga announced Japan’s 2050 Carbon
Neutral Declaration, attention has been focused on thesocial implementation of new technologies related to green
innovation, such as technologies for hydrogen energy andCO2 capture which are being pursued under NEDO projects.
In the opening News Report, we report on recent visits to the
FH2R facility by Minister of the Environment Koizumi andother cabinet members, as well as the ambassadors to Japan
representing the five Nordic countries. In our Special Report,
we introduce the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development
Program that aims to recover the global environment using
technologies such as CO2 capture.

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

03

Special Report
Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery ofEnvironment

GlobalCool Earth & Clean Earth

The Moonshot Research and Development Program was created to pursue ambitious
goals, known as Moonshot Goals (hereinafter referred to as MS Goals) presented by theGovernment, which attract people, from the perspective of looking toward a future society,and solving domestic and overseas social issues that will arise.
NEDO is pursuing ambitious R&D activities to achieve MS Goal 4: Realization of sustainable
resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050.
We speak below with Dr. YAMAJI Kenji, the program director responsible for directing andsupervising the R&D program conducted under this goal in a unified manner, about theimportance of R&D for MS Goal 4 and his aspirations for the future.

the future, discussions took place at meetings of experts and at
the Moonshot International Symposium. On the basis of these
discussions, in January 2020 CSTI determined six MS Goals
to be pursued.¹ NEDO is taking the lead on pursuing MS Goal
4: Realization of sustainable resource circulation to recover the
global environment by 2050.
With a view toward realizing program objectives, NEDO has
appointed Dr. YAMAJI Kenji, Senior Vice President and DirectorGeneral of the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the
Earth (RITE), as program director (hereinafter referred to as PD)
for MS Goal 4. Dr. Yamaji has considerable expertise in global
environmental issues and has also served as chair for Moonshot
International Symposium Working Group 4, "Sustainable
Resources Circulation for Global Environment," which wasorganized by NEDO.

Moonshot is an ambitious and challenging R&D program

Dr. YAMAJI Kenji
MS Goal 4 Program Director
Senior Vice President/Director-General,
Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the
Earth (RITE)

Dr. Yamaji, expert on global environmental issues,
appointed as program director
In 2018, the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation(CSTI) established the Moonshot Research and Development
Program to promote challenging R&D based on bold ideas thatwill not just be extensions of conventional technology, with theaim of creating disruptive innovations from Japan. Building on
input received from the general public regarding social issues
that should be addressed and visions that should be pursued in

04

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Regarding his appointment as PD, Dr. Yamaji says, "My field ofexpertise, energy research, is closely related to global warming,and I have been involved in research on measures to prevent
global warming, so MS Goal 4 was a topic of great interest tome. At the International Symposium in 2019, we focused on themost pressing issues affecting the global environment today. One
such issue is global warming. Before the Industrial Revolution,
the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was approximately
280 ppm,2 but in recent years the CO2 concentration has exceeded
400 ppm, a level clearly impacting the earth. Second is the issueof marine plastic litter, which was discussed at the G20 Osaka
Summit. Another issue concerns nitrogen compounds, which havealso been highlighted under the planetary boundaries concept.³ I
decided to become the PD for MS Goal 4 because it will pursue

Notes: 1. In July 2020, the Headquarters for Healthcare Policy determined MS Goal 7.
2. Unit indicating parts per million (1 ppm=0.0001%). Thus, 280 ppm=0.028%, 400 ppm=0.04%.
3. Under this concept, thresholds have been established in nine areas of the global environment to ensure the sustainable
development of human society. Exceeding these thresholds will cause irreversible changes to the natural resources upon whichhumans depend.

Figure 1: R&D to be promoted for realization of sustainable
resource circulation

Figure 2: MS Goal 4 portfolio
Challenging

Control degradability ofplastics in sea for both
utilization and detoxification

H2O
N2

CO2

Careful examinationof technology type1 project

Careful examination ofsocial implementation type1 project

Specific conditions
type

O2

1 project

Direct Air Capture
Directly capture
CO2 from atmosphere

Plastic litter

CO2

Detoxify ultra-thinnitrogen compounds

Competitive typeOutside of Moonshot
Research andDevelopment Program
10 projects

Increase in achieved results

NOX

Convert CO2
into materials
NOX

N2O

Recover nitrogen compounds
and convert them into materials

CO2

Con

sum

e

Chemicals, fuels, etc.

Produceaddressing these issues, which are of great interest to me.”Moonshot R&D is characterized by its more ambitious andchallenging approach (see Figure 1). Dr. Yamaji explains,“For example, with regard to greenhouse gases, research has
been conducted to reduce CO2 emissions, which are the main
component, and develop technology to capture CO2 before it isreleased into the atmosphere, but as a more ambitious approach,
we are targeting a technology known as Direct Air Capture(DAC), which directly captures CO2 that has already beenreleased into the atmosphere and utilizes it effectively. This is avery challenging technology which is one of the pillars for MS
Goal 4 research and development.”
Emphasizing the importance of NEDO Moonshot R&D
projects, Dr Yamaji adds, "In October 2020, Prime Minister Sugaannounced in a policy speech the new goal of achieving carbon
neutrality (effectively zero greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050.
This goal is exactly in line with the direction being pursued under
MS Goal 4.”
As for the issue of marine plastic litter, which has become agrowing concern in recent years, Dr. Yamaji notes the importanceof designing degradation initiation switches for biodegradable
plastics to make them harmless and address functional issues.
As for nitrogen, he notes the challenge of detoxifying nitrogencompounds discharged into the environment and converting theminto valuable materials.

Boldly pursuing challenges for social implementation by
2050
Commenting on the role of the PD in the long-term researchplan to achieve the 2050 goal, Dr. Yamaji says, "In this system,
individual research plans are called projects, and multiple projects
grouped together under each goal are called programs. The PD
constructs a program portfolio4 by combining multiple projects inconsideration of their level of ambition, feasibility, and potential
for impact, and also manages and supports the overall program(see Figure 2).”
4. A management plan that outlines policies for the composition of projects and resource
allocations.

Competitive type:
Competition takes place between similar fields and technologies topromote R&D, and these are narrowed down in the third or fifth year.
Specific conditions type:
Significant and technically unique technologies are assessed under
specific conditions.
Careful examination type:
Projects where assessments indicate careful examination of technology is required. Project plans are reviewed to focus on careful
examination and start on small scale. There are two careful examination types: the technology type, for technologies which require thecreation of new markets, and the social implementation type, whichassess responsiveness to the marketplace.

“If we aim for social implementation right from the start,
it will hinder our ideas, so we have put together a portfolio ofpotential projects that do not nip ambitious ideas in the bud. We
select projects according to their level of progress, so that if wefind it difficult for a project to achieve the goal of this program,we can spin it out and use the research results for other research.
Portfolio management is an important role of the PD, and wehave just established a management system in collaboration with
NEDO. We will continue to cooperate with NEDO on program
management, making use of its information gathering andcoordination capabilities.”
Dr. Yamaji says he expects the project managers leading eachproject to display ambition, leadership, and vision, and notes“This MS Goal is very ambitious, so I hope they will assume thechallenge of competing with the rest of the world, while at thesame time exhibiting strong leadership to the multiple researchand development organizations participating in the project. I also
hope they possess a strong vision to pursue the goal of social
implementation.”
Social implementation occurs when products are widely usedaround the world. The target year for the goal is 2050, but productprototypes need to be on the market by 2030, so in reality only 10
years remain to determine
the right direction. The
biggest challenge of theMoonshot Research andDevelopment Program isfor NEDO to work together
with researchers under theleadership of the PD, Dr.
Yamaji.

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

05

Special Report

Pursuing Cool Earth and Clean EarthMoonshot Research and Development Program
With a view to recover the global environment, the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development
Program aims to solve global warming problem (Cool Earth) and environmental pollution problem(Clean Earth) in conjunction with continued industrial and consumer activity. Under this program, NEDO
is pursuing R&D activities to realize a new form of resource circulation that reduces environmental
pollutants such as Green House Gases (GHGs), nitrogen compounds, and marine plastic litter.

MS Goal 4: Realization of sustainable resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050.
Many global environmental problems are caused by thesubstances that have been emitted into the environment throughhuman activities.
The Paris Agreement, adopted at the 21st Conference of theParties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (COP 21) in December 2015, represents a global effort
to prevent GHG emissions by establishing a target to keep the
global average temperature rise well below 2°C compared topre-industrial levels (2°C scenario). However, there is a large
gap between this target and the outlook based on the post-2020
emission reduction targets (Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions: INDC) submitted to date by member countries.
With a projected gap of 13 Gt CO2 -eq by 2030, new GHG
countermeasures such as the ones using Negative Emission
Technologies are considered essential in addition to conventionalemission source countermeasures.
In addition, the planetary boundary concept states that nitrogenand other elements are in a high-risk state that exceeds thethreshold for the continued development and prosperity of humansociety. There is therefore a need to establish technologies torecover and utilize nitrogen compounds emitted from a variety ofindustrial activities.

A further issue is the problem of marine plastic litter, which
has become widely known in recent years and is affecting marine
ecosystems, with growing concerns about its effect on humans
through the food chain. Biodegradable plastics currently inwidespread use are not sufficiently degradable in the ocean, so thedevelopment of marine biodegradable plastics that can degrade
appropriately when they flow into the ocean is a pressing issue.
In addition to efforts to reduce the emissions of these substances,
it is also necessary to take measures to circulate substances being
emitted into the environment.
In light of this situation, MS Goal 4 is implementing challenging
R&D projects with the aim of addressing the issues of global
warming (Cool Earth) and environmental pollution (Clean Earth)through the realization of sustainable resource circulation for
the recovery of the global environment. Specific targets aim toestablish technologies on a pilot scale or in a prototype form by
2030, and then, through demonstration testing and the resolutionof technology development issues at each stage of development,
to globally deploy commercial plants and products utilizing
established circulation technologies by 2050.

MS Goal 4 Targets

Realization of sustainable resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050
Solutions to the global warming problem (Cool Earth) and environmental pollution problem (Clean Earth)through realization of sustainable resource circulation for the global environment.

Cool Earth & Clean Earth
Global deployment of commercial plants or products utilizing circulation technology by 2050.

06

Cool Earth

Clean EarthDevelopment of circulation technology on a pilot
scale for reducing greenhouse gases that are also
effective in terms of life cycle assessments (LCA) by
2030.

Development of technology on a pilot scale or in aform of prototype that converts environmentally
harmful substances into valuable or harmlessmaterials by 2030.

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery of

MS Goal 4 Promotion System

Global Environment

Cool Earth & Clean Earth

MS Goal 4 Promotion System
Determination of MS Goal 4

Based on the R&D concept paper formulated by the Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to achieve MS Goal
4, NEDO selected 13 R&D projects and project managers (PM)in August 2020. In addition, Dr. YAMAJI Kenji, Senior Vice
President and Director-General of the Research Institute forInnovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), has been appointed
as the program director (PD) to integrally direct and supervise
these multiple R&D projects.
To realize the concept and achieve this MS Goal, the PD will
establish a portfolio for strategically realizing the MS Goal andpromotes R&D in a challenging and systematic way. The PD leads
comprehensive portfolio management by taking into account thelife cycle assessment (LCA)5 perspective as well, in order toensure that both individual R&D projects as well as the entire
program are effective in achieving the MS Goal.
In addition to supporting portfolio management by the PD
and project management by the PM, NEDO will establish an
R&D management system that flexibly incorporates a variety
of knowledge and ideas to achieve the MS Goal, including
collaboration with experts from Japanese and overseas technology
development projects and industries, and the utilization of views
from interdisciplinary perspectives such as ethical, legal, andsocial issues (ELSI), as well as mathematical sciences, in order tospin out project results and implement them in society.

CSTI/CSTI members
Presentation of goal

ReportAdviceParticipation

Establishmentof R&D concept

METI

Presentation of concept
and supervision

Strategy Council
ReportApproval andAdviceReportReportEstablishment and determination of the portfolio(management plan including project structure and resource allotment)

NEDO (Research Promotion Agency)
Appointment andevaluation

ReportProgram Director

Public call and
Adoption

Dr. YAMAJI Kenji
Senior Vice President and Director-General
Research Institute of Innovative Technology (RITE)

Direction andsupervision

ReportProgram
Project A

Project B

Project C

Project
Manager

Project
Manager

Project
Manager

R&D teams

R&D teams

R＆D teams

・・・・

5. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology for quantitatively identifying theamount of resource consumption and emissions of environmentally hazardous
substances and evaluating their environmental impacts by considering the entire
life cycle of the resources used in a certain technology or product, from its mining/
manufacturing phase to its utilization/ disposal phase. For example, in the case of thecapture and utilization of CO₂, energy inputs and catalysts are required for its capture
concentration, and conversion into valuable materials, so it is necessary to evaluate
whether these processes actually contribute to reduce CO₂ emissions throughout theentire life cycle.

Enthusiastic support from the Moonshot Research and Development Program OfficeSince the initial Public Call for proposals stage, the Moonshot
Research and Development Program has attracted keen interest
from both inside and outside Japan. We will continue to work
closely with the PD and PM, and actively promote collaborations
between Japanese and overseas organizations with a view
toward future social implementation.
In addition, since the MS goals were determined with a view
toward addressing various social, environmental, and economic
issues and thereby realizing “human well-being”, we believe
this program is relevant not only to scientific researchers but
also to the general public. We will therefore proactively conduct
outreach to the public on what kind of research and development
is being conducted and what kind of results have been achievedin the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development Program,so that many kinds of people will develop greater interest in it.

NEDO Moonshot Research and Development Program Office (from left to right)
KOJIMA Kano, Chief Officer, YOSHIDA Tomonaga, Director, SUZAWA Mika, Chief Officer

Please scan here for the latest information on the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development Program:
https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/ZZCA_100007.html

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

07

Special Report1

Outline of projects

Development of Technologies to Recover Greenhouse
Gases (“GHGs”) and Convert Them into Valuable Materials
To date, technologies have been developed to separate andcapture highly concentrated (ranging from several percent toseveral tens of percent) CO2 contained in exhaust gas generated
mainly at power plants, steel mills, and oil refineries, and someof these technologies have been commercialized. On the other
hand, in these Moonshot R&D projects, various technologies
to realize direct air capture (DAC) are being developed tocapture low-concentration (around 0.04%) CO2 that diffuses
into the atmosphere, with the aim of commercializing low-cost,high-efficiency DAC technologies by 2050. In addition to DAC
technologies, various new technologies are being developed toconvert captured CO2 into valuable materials and to mitigate
GHGs with high global warming potential, such as methane (CH4)and nitrous oxide (N2O) emitted from agricultural lands.

Direct Air Capture
Directly capture CO2from atmosphere

Utilize as chemicals and fuels

Convert CO2
into valuable
materials

ConsumeDAC plant

Development of a bioprocess that uses electrical energy to fix atmospheric CO2
PM

Project Manager

A new biotechnology to convert atmospheric CO2 into organic matter using electric energy

Senior Researcher,
Bioproduction Research Institute,
National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology(AIST)

Electric
energyElectric
energyutilization

Dr. KATO Souichiro

POINT

CO2 is converted into useful organic matter(conversion efficiency 50 times higher than that ofplants)Artificial synthesis of super-microorganisms thatutilize electricity
Development of gas-phase reaction process tomaximize microbial power

Atmospheric
CO 2
CO 2 uptake &concentration

Atmospheric CO 2

CO 2

Bioenergy(ATP, NADH, etc.)
Genomemanipulation
technologies

Gas-phase reaction

High CO 2 fixation
Hub compounds(Acetyl-CoA,
pyruvate, etc.)

Gas phaseSuperbugs

Electric energy

Gas diffusion electrode
Aqueous phase

Organic matters

Artificially-synthesized bacteria(Ralstonia eutropha is the platform)
Organic matters
To synthesize “superbugs” that can use electric energy,
uptake and concentrate atmospheric CO 2,
and fix CO 2 with high efficiency.

Implementing
organizations:

To develop a gas-phase reaction processthat can effectively supply electricity and
CO 2 to superbugs.

AIST, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagoya University

Development of highly efficient direct air capture (DAC) and carbon recycling technologies
PM

Project Manager

Dr. KODAMA Akio

CO2

Professor,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Kanazawa University

Practicality and LCA
evaluation (R&D item 3)
Collaborate with user company

Atmospheric CO2

e-fuelLiquid hydrocarbon fuel
CnHm

Air

POINT

Development of innovative amine-loaded CO2
solid sorbent
CO2 capture and enrichment process using lessenergy than conventional technologies
Membrane reactor for highly efficient and energysaving synthesis of liquid hydrocarbon fuels using
inorganic membranes

08

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Moonshot cycle

CO2
H2
Dehydration membrane

CO2

CO2-free air

Sweep
gas

H2O

DAC
(R&D item 1)

CO2 conversion(R&D item 2)
High concentration CO2
Development of materials and systems
Development of membrane reactor

Implementing
organizations:Kanazawa University, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE)

Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery of

Global Environment

Cool Earth & Clean Earth

Outlines of the R&D projects are available at the below webpage:https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/ZZCA_100007.html

Integrated Electrochemical Systems for Scalable CO2 Conversion to Chemical Feedstocks
PM

Project Manager

Electric
Power

Dr. SUGIYAMA Masakazu
Professor,
Research Center for Advanced Scienceand Technology,
The University of Tokyo

UsefulChemicals

POINT

CO2 enrichment process at medium and low
temperatures by physical absorption/desorption
and electrochemistry
Creation of a system for CO2 enrichment andreduction to chemical feedstocks by electro­
chemical processes using renewable electricity
Flexible system that allows for small-scale
distributed deployment

Electrochemical
CO2 Enrichment

Electrolysis

Renewable Energy

Physical Absorptionof CO2 Capture

Atmospheric CO 2

CO 2
Chemical plant

City

Establish the Carbon Recycling System Using Electric Energy as Platform Energy
Toward Reducing 100 Million Ton-CO 2 per Year

Implementing
organizations:

The University of Tokyo, Osaka University, RIKEN, Ube Industries, Ltd., Shimizu Corporation,
Chiyoda Corporation, Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.

C4S Research and Development Project
6

PM

Project Manager

Dr. NOGUCHI Takafumi

CO 2
utilization

CCC

Professor,
Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo

CCC products

Particles

Particles

CCC

Evaporation of solution
Ca solution

Infrastructure

Recycle Ca solution
aggregate

Manufacturing CCC

POINTCapturing atmospheric CO2 with concrete waste

Permanent resource circulation by regenerating
CCC7 from concrete waste after CO2 capture
Contributing to sustainable circulation of calcium
resources as well as CO2

Ca solution

Manufacturing CCC raw materials
CO 2 capturing and adjustment of particle size

Concrete
waste

Implementing
organizations:Trommel with airflow
blowing & heating
CCC raw materials

CO 2
utilization

The University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University

6. C4S: Calcium Carbonate Circulation System for Construction
7. CCC: Calcium Carbonate Concrete

Research and development toward saving energy for direct air capture with available cold energy
PM

Carbon cycling with Cryo-DAC

Project Manager

Dr. NORINAGA Koyo
Professor,
Graduate School of Engineering,
Nagoya University

Cryo-DAC concept

AbsorberGas-producing country
Japan

Sublimation

Desorber

Natural gas field
Cryo-DAC

POINT

Direct capture of atmospheric CO2 by employing
unused cold energy from liquefied natural gas(LNG)

Town gasuse

Cryo-DAC

Pressure swing recovery of CO2 by the CO2
sublimation while operating both absorber anddesorber at room temperature
Output high-purity and pressurized CO2 ready forstorage and utilization process

LNG
LNG
satellite station

Ambient
heat

CO 2

Air
Absorption
liquidImplementing
organizations:

LNG

LNG carrier

Pressurized CO 2

Nagoya University, Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Tokyo University of Science

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

09

Special Report

Development of Combined Carbon Capture and Conversion (quad-C) modules targeting
low carbon dioxide concentration gases for balancing the global carbon budget
PM

Project Manager

Dr. FUKUSHIMA Yasuhiro
Professor,
Graduate School of Engineering
Tohoku University

Low
concentration CO2

Amine absorption

Enrichment
reactorPOINT

Takes energy-efficient conversion routes withoutcarbon reduction
Modularized process handles a wide variety of
feed gases and products

Class I chemicals
Pressurized
Conversion
Substances acquired bybyhigh-concentration Reductionenergy-intensive
reducing CO2, e.g.,chemicals such as H₂
CO2
methanol, etc.

Carbamic acid

Economically challenging
for low concentration

Creation of streamlined reaction system, termed“quad-C”, by directly linking CO2 fixation andconversion

CO2 desorption/
compression

Large energy consumption

Direct conversionH
R N C OH Catalytic reaction taking non-reductive routes
O

Point: Raw materials serve also as CO2 absorbent
Type 1: CO2 selective permeable membrane developed for
deployment on space station
Type 2: Selective adsorption with materials used inexhaust gas treatment

Point: Basic solid
catalysts serve also
as adsorbents for CO2
fixation

Class II-1 chemicals

Amines-derived substances
obtained without reducing
CO2 carbon, e.g., urea, etc.

Class II-2 chemicals

Other substances obtained without
reducing CO2 carbon, e.g.,
carbonates

Adsorption-Reaction Reacts with raw materials such as
alcohol
Apparatus
Combined Carbon Capture and Conversion（quad-C）

Implementing
organizations:

Produce Class II chemicals, sourcing
carbon from low CO2 concentration gases!

Tohoku University, Osaka City University, Renaissance Energy Research Corporation

Development of Global CO2 Recycling Technology towards “Beyond-Zero” Emission
PM

Target System

Project Manager

Dr. FUJIKAWA Shigenoi
Associate Professor,
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral
Energy Research,
Kyushu University● Size expansion by flexible integrations

Direct Air Capture andConversion Unit (DAC-U)

POINT

Development of CO2 capture unit using innovative
separation nano-membranes with unparalleled
CO2 permeability

Scalable system for use in small-sized homes andmedium-sized buildings

CO2

CO2

home/
retail store

building/
factory

unused land

CO2
CO2 separation
nanomembrane

Development of conversion unit that converts
CO2 into carbon fuel with high efficiency

CO2

Capture unit

● Distributed deployment for ubiquitous CO2 Capture

Electrochemical
conversion
Thermochemical
conversion
Carbon fuelConversion unit

Implementing
organizations:

Carbon Recycle Society

Kyushu University, Kumamoto University, Hokkaido University

Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural lands by optimizing
nitrogen and carbon cycles
PM

Project Manager

Dr. MINAMISAWA Kiwamu

N2 Cool Earth

Specially Appointed Professor,
Graduate School of Life Sciences,
Tohoku University

N2

Greenhousegas

N2O
Synthetic BiologicalN
N2
fertilizer
fixation

POINT

Focusing on agricultural lands as major sourcesof nitrous oxide and methane emissions.
Activation of N and C cycling in soil micro­organisms induces 80% reduction of nitrous
oxide and methane emissions.
Design of soil microbial community could provide
the establishment and functional expression of
inoculated microorganisms.

10

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Basic researches fordesign of soil microbes
and plants

N2

Plant nutrition
N2O→N2

NH4+

NO3-

N2 O

N2O
N2O reducers

Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural lands by optimizing nitrogen cycles

Implementing
organizations:

Tohoku University, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), The
University of Tokyo

Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery of
Outline of projects

Global Environment2

Development of Technologies to Recover
Nitrogen Compounds and Convert Them
into Harmless or Useful Materials
In planetary boundary research, nitrogen compounds derived
from human activities have been reported to be at a state ofextremely high risk, with their emissions exceeding the earth's
acceptable limits. Specifically, there are concerns about theeutrophication of lakes and oceans, acid rain, and global warming
caused by nitrous oxide due to the emission of nitrogen compounds
into the environment.

Cool Earth & Clean Earth

Outlines of the R&D projects areavailable at the below webpage:https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/ZZCA_100007.html

Detoxify

Convert into
useful materials

Recover extremely
low-concentration
nitrogen compounds

In the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development Program,technologies will be developed to recover nitrogen compounds
contained in exhaust gas and wastewater at extremely low
concentrations, which have been considered difficult to recoverusing conventional technologies and to convert them into
harmless or useful materials.

UtilizeInnovative circular technologies for harmful nitrogen compounds/To solve
planetary boundary issues
PM

Project Manager

Current System

Dr. KAWAMOTO Tohru
Group Leader,
Nanoparticle Functional Design Group,
Nanomaterials Research Institute,
National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST)

N2
NH3

POINT

NH3

Development of technology to transform nitrogenoxides in exhaust gas into ammonia, a usefulmaterial

Industry/
Human
activity

Insuﬃcient treatment
Huge energy
consumption
Hazardous Nitrogen
NOx in exhaust gas

N-compounds
in wastewater

Conversion and recovery of ammonia from toxic
nitrogen compounds in wastewater【Novel Nitrogen Circulation System】
N2
Atmosphere/Hydrosphere
Sufficient detoxification
Energy recovery
Production of resource-ammonia from Nitrogencomponents in exhaust gas and wastewater
Conversion
to Ammonia

Separationof Ammonia(Catalyst･bio-reaction)(membrane･absorption)

Trace
N-compounds+
coexistentmaterials

Resourceammonia

Trace
Ammonia+
coexistentmaterials

Fuel
Alternative Sourceof Industrial NH3
Denitration
N2

coexistentmaterials

NOX NH3This Project

Engineering
plastic

Industrial Product

Implementing
organizations:

AIST, The University of Tokyo, Waseda University, Tokyo University of Agriculture andTechnology, Kobe University, Osaka University, Yamaguchi University, Kyowa Hakko Bio Co.,
Ltd., ASTOM Corporation, Toyobo Co., Ltd., FUSO Corporation, Ube Industries, Ltd.

Development of recovery and removal techniques of dilute reactive nitrogen to
realize nitrogen circulating society
PM

NOx

Project Manager

Dr. WAKIHARA Toru
Professor,
School of Engineering,
The University of TokyoN2

To air

POINT

Wast

e

deNOx catalysts NH3
Development of SCR 8 systems with both highselectivity and activity/durability by realizing
precise control of zeolite structure and composition

w-NH3

Development of absorbents for selective recovery
and concentration of extremely low- concentration
ammonia
Implementing
organizations:

NO3Recovery
NH4+

The University of Tokyo, AIST, Japan Fine Ceramics Center (JFCC), Mitsubishi Chemical
Corporation

8. Selective Catalytic Reduction

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

11

Special Report
Outline of projects

3

Development of Marine Biodegradable Plastics Which
Can Control the Timing and Speed of Their Degradability
To deal with marine plastic litter, which has become a social
issue, particularly since plastics continue to flow into the ocean,the development of marine biodegradable plastics that have lessenvironmental impact when released into the ocean is required, in
addition to conventional efforts to collect and recycle plastic litter.
Though various biodegradable plastics have been developed todate, they are facing challenges to their practical application andwidespread use since the timing and speed of their degradation
has not been adequately controlled and their durability was
insufficient.

Material conversion
by DAC
CO2
ConsumeCO2

Plastics released
into ocean

CO2
H2O

In the NEDO Moonshot Research and Development Program,marine biodegradable plastic will be developed that is sufficiently
durable and has a switch function to control the starting point andthe rate of biodegradation so that it will degrade at an appropriate
speed after being released into the ocean.

Enables total controlof the starting point
and the rateof biodegradation

Degrades into
water and CO2

H2O

Development of Multi-lock Biopolymers Degradable in Ocean from Non-food Biomasses
PM

Project Manager

Dr. ITO Kohzo
Professor,
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences,
The University of Tokyo

Microplastic

Spread by Accident

POINT

Breaking through trade-off between polymer
degradability and durability/toughness
Multi-lock mechanism 9 provides high durability
during use and on-demand degradation when
accidentally released into ocean
Produced from non-food biomasses

Multi-lockplastics
Tire
Fiber
Fishing Tool

Degradable & Tough Polymers

High
Durability
in useCool & Clean Earth
Non-food biomass

Polymerization
Processing

Polymer Film
On-demand
Decomposition
by Multi Stimuli

Chemical process

Monomer

Bioprocess

Light
Heat
EnzymeIon
OxygenCatalyst

Photosynthesis

The University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Bridgestone Corporation, Teijin Limited, Kureha
Corporation, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, Yamagata University, Research Institute of Innovative
Technology for the Earth (RITE), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST),
Ehime University, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Implementing
organizations:

9. A mechanism that requires multiple stimuli such as light, heat, oxygen, water, enzymes, microorganisms, and catalysts at the same time for degradation.

Research and development of marine biodegradable plastics with degradation
initiation switch function
Project Manager

Dr. KASUYA Ken-ichi

?

O
?
O

n

?

O

?

O

n
O ?

O ?

O
O

n

N
H

O ?

n

Polyamides

O

O

O ?

O ?

O

O ?

n

Polysaccharides

2. Biodegradation switch
ON
OFF

Development of technology to control timing andspeed of degradation

ON

Stimulus

OFF

Degradation startGoals

3. Speed Control

POINT

Slow

Marine biodegradability (90% in six months inseawater at 30℃) verified in ocean
Creation of marine biodegradable polymers
based on biomass and CO2

12

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

CO2

Waste

n
O

?

RecycleCool Earth Cycle

O

Feedback

Professor,
Division of Molecular Science,
Faculty of Science and Technology
Gunma University

Clean Earth Cycle

1. Biodegradable resins
Polyesters

MediumFast

Implementing
organizations:4. Veriﬁcation and evaluation
CO2 O2

Biodegradability /%

PM

0

10
20
Time/days

0.223g30

Determination of biologicaldegradation of polymers

Exposure
to the ocean

Change inphysical properties

Gunma University, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Institute of Technology, RIKEN, Japan
Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

Moonshot Research and Development Program

Pursuing Recovery of

Global Environment

Cool Earth & Clean Earth

Outlines of the R&D projects are available at the below webpage:https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/news/ZZCA_100007.html

Development of photo- switching ocean-degradable plastics with edibility
PM

Project Manager

Professor,
Graduate School of Advanced Scienceand Technology
Japan Advanced Institute of Science andTechnology

Bio-production of plastic raw materials
from using new sorghum species(non-edible biomass)

POINT

Off-type optical switch function that initiates
degradation in dark places such as underwater
and/or seabed
Development of non-toxic ocean-biodegradable
plastic products incorporating both functions

C/N simultaneous
resource circulation
Classification waste
dumping
Molding

Breakdown
enzymesCompostPhoto-induced
ring-opening reaction
Hydrophilization

Itaconic acidOn-type optical switch function that initiates
degradation in strong sunlight and water

Fertilizer inputs (CO2, Nitrates, Water)

C-mass fixation

Dr. KANEKO Tatsuo

Photo-switch
degradation
systemUV/VIS
light

Special polycondensation&
Built-in polymerization

Implementing
organizations:

Dump
etc.

TextileWashing

Microplastics
Clean ocean

ON-type optical switch
Biodegradable polymer

Float

Ocean
plastics Subsidence

Additive systems
High-performance
photocatalyst
development
Controls for wavelength,hydrophilicity, and redox
Into body

Biodegradable
plastic with
OFF-type
optical switchthat works indark places(underwater /undersea)

Photo-control ofbacteria degrading
conventional
biodegradable plastics

Degradation and detoxification by digestive
enzymes/intestinal bacteria
Edible by softening with degradation
For infants, the elderly, and marine creatures

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Nagoya University, Kagoshima
University, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, National Instituteof Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science andTechnology (ORIST)TOPIC

Moonshot International Symposium
Discussion regarding R&D to be carried out
To set MS Goals, applications were invited from the public for
proposals and ideas for social challenges to be solved, and visionsof future society to be realized, and based on these applications,
25 examples of MS goals were identified through discussions by
experts. In this context, the Moonshot International Symposium
was held with relevant organizations in December 2019 with theparticipation of experts from Japan and overseas who discussed
the candidate MS Goals and how best to proceed with Moonshot
R&D projects. NEDO organized Working Group 4, Sustainable
Resources Circulation for Global Environment, chaired by Dr.
YAMAJI Kenji, Senior Vice President and Director-General of
RITE. Discussions took place at the working group regarding the
MS Goal and innovative R&D of GHG reduction technologies
by resources and materials circulation such as carbon recycling,
resource-saving technologies, environmental remediation
technologies, and energy-saving and renewable-energy
technologies. As a basis for discussion, the concept “Cool Earth& Clean Earth” was introduced in the form of an initiative report,
and the scope and ideal way to pursue research to be carried out
were discussed by symposium speakers and participants. The
results of symposium discussions led to the determination of MS
Goal 4.

The initiative report and video of Moonshot International
Symposium's Working Group 4 can be viewed at the
below webpage:https://www.jst.go.jp/moonshot/sympo/sympo2019/index_e.html

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

13

Technology Strategy Center Report

Brief Report

TSC Foresight

U.S. Technology Innovation and Climate Change
Policy Changes under President Biden
The 46th President of the United States, Joseph Biden, has pledged
to implement technology innovation and climate change policies thatTSC Foresight
Report may beviewed here:

differ greatly from those of former President Donald Trump, so NEDO
has prepared and released a Technology Strategy Center (TSC) report,

https://www.nedo.go.jp/library/
ZZNA_100044.html

which objectively analyzes these changes.

(only available in Japanese)

Point

1

Technology innovation policies

Under the Innovate in America policy, $300 billion (approx. 32
t r illion yen) will be invested in R&D for new indust r ies andtechnologies and create millions of jobs, thus securing U.S. leadershipin the world. This policy is cautious about technology outf lows, but
Expenditures on innovation measures (trillions of yen/year)

35

Expenditures on innovation measures, by country*

also emphasizes international frameworks. It is expected to strengthen
U.S. efforts to promote the development of technology and innovation
while placing more emphasis on cooperation with countries allied with
the United States.
Total expenditures on technology innovation measures*Only single year reflected for multi-year programs

30
25
20

Reinforcement

15

5
0

United States
President Biden

Japan
5th S&T Basic Plan

European Union
Next Generation

Approx. $140 billion (approx. 15 trillion yen)

United States
President Biden pledge

Approx. $140 billion (approx. 15 trillion yen) +approx. $300 billion/4 years(approx. 32 trillion yen)Japan
5th S&T Basic Plan

Approx. 23.8 trillion yen/5 years

European Union
Next Generation
China
New Infrastructure Plan

10

United States
Trump administration

United States
Trump administration

China
New Infrastructure Plan

Approx. 750 billion euros/7 years(approx. 90 trillion yen)

Approx. 2 trillion RMB (approx. 30 trillion yen)

Sources:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Asahi Shimbun, NHK, Nikkei Shimbun, joebiden.com

For consideration:

President Biden, following on the policies of the previous U.S. administration, has emphasized the importance of stimulating
technological innovation in the United States. However, he has also stressed the need to cooperate with relevant countries in orderto regain the initiative in creating rules for international trade. President Biden is therefore likely to further strengthen ties with alliedcountries such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea in crafting rules regarding advanced technology and innovation.

pledges focus on economic policy and COVID-19-related relief andPresident Biden’s pledges on economic policy Economic
economic recovery.

■Economic policies■COVID-19-related relief and economic recovery policies (4th version only*)$700 billion to support manufacturing, 5 million jobs, tax
cuts for lower-income earners, tax increases for higherincome earners and large corporations, and a review of
the tariffs imposed by former President Trump.

R&D
investments of$300 billion overfour years

Buy
AmericanGovernment
procurement
worth $400 billion
over four years

Sources: joebiden.com,
Reuters, Jiji Press

14

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

Total COVID-19-related economic stimulus spending and ratio to nominal GDP, by country*

600 Reinforcement

60%

COVID-19 stimulus spending

500

COVID-19 stimulus spending as % of
nominal GDP (2019)

50%

400

40%

300

30%

200

20%

100

10%

0

United States** United States**
Trump
Biden
administration administration

Japan

United Kingdom

Germany

FranceChina

New ZealandBrazil*Economic stimulus spending shown here includes loans to private sector.
**Biden pledge and Trump administration figures include $2 trillion in already enacted stimulus legislation.
Sources: Graph prepared by NEDO TSC using data obtained from JETRO website, World Bank, Asahi Shimbun, Nikkei
Shimbun, and AFP.

0%

COVID-19-related stimulus spending as
percentage of nominal GDP (2019)

Innovate inAmericaGreen energy
Infrastructure andotherslocal governments, households, etc.
COVID-19-related stimulus spending (trillionsof yen)Electric vehicles
5G
AI and others$3.4 trillion (approx. 360 trillion yen)*$2.2 trillion (approx. 230 trillion yen) as of October 2020, with funding to support state andPoint2

Commitments on climate change policy

President Biden's basic philosophy regarding environmental justice

As a concrete step, President Biden has announced a Clean Energy/

is to work toward redressing inequalities associated with climate

Sustainable Infrastructure Plan with $2 trillion (approx. 215 trillion

change by taking bold climate change policies. He has also pledged toyen) to be invested over four years. The plan also proposes thereturn the United States to the Paris Agreement, which the Trump

establishment of AR PA-C as an overarching U.S. gover nment

administration withdrew from, and to reduce CO₂ emissions to zeroadvanced research agency focused on climate change. With these steps,

across the U.S. economy by the year 2050 at the latest.

U.S. climate change policy is expected to make great progress.

CO2 emission targets under U.S. presidents

Biden(2021, Democratic Party)

Clinton

Bush

Obama

Trump

(1997, Democratic Party)(2001, Republican Party)(2015, Democratic Party)(2019, Republican Party)● R e d u c e e m i s s i o n s to1990 levels in 2008-2012● R e d u c e e m i s s i o n s to
below 1990 levels in next
five years●Withdrawal from Kyoto
Protocol●Reduce emissions perunit of GDP by 18% in 10
years to 2012●26-28% reduction from2005 levels by 2025

●Withdrawal from Paris
Agreement●Return to Paris
Agreement●Agrees with experts toaim for net zero
emissions by 2050 at
latestSources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Asahi Shimbun, NHK, Nikkei Shimbun, joebiden.com

Specific climate change policy measures
President Biden announced a Clean Energy/Sustainable Infrastructure Plan including major infrastructure
improvements. He also proposed the establishment of a new Advanced Research Projects Agency focused on
Climate (ARPA-C).
On July 14, 2020, announced new Clean Energy/Sustainable Infrastructure Plan. To achieve zero CO2

for entire U.S. economy by 2050 at latest, $2 trillion (approx. 215 trillion yen) will be invested over
1 emissions
four years.
Announced commitment to return to Paris Agreement, hold climate summit within 100 days of taking office,2 andreengage in "mission innovation.”
Will establish Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and Environmental Justice Interagency Council asof Environmental Advisory Committee under direct control of President. ARPA-C to be established to
3 partpromote environmental technology innovation as part of "all of government" approach.

Sources: joebiden.com, Yomiuri Shimbun, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review

Clean Energy/Sustainable Infrastructure Plan

Proposal to establish ARPA-C■Rely on U.S. labor unions and U.S.-made products in building
infrastructure.

ARPA-C would be a new cross-agency advanced
research project organization focused on climatechange, with the objective of developing gamechanging technologies that will help achieve the goalof securing 100% clean energy. The following are
target areas:■Build the United States into global leader in manufacture of electricvehicles and their raw materials and components.
■Invest in battery storage and transmission infrastructure, provide tax
incentives for clean energy job creation, and develop innovative
financing mechanisms that leverage private sector capital.
■Upgrade buildings, modernize schools, and reduce race-based
wealth disparities.
■Focus on strategic research areas such as clean energy, cleantransportation, clean industrial processes, and clean materials.
■Provide oppor tunities for new farmers and ranchers to enter
economy, and support use of new technologies and equipment toincrease productivity and profits.
■Enable local communities to receive 40% of benefits from areas suchas clean transportation and water infrastructure development;
creation of data-driven climate and economic justice screening tool.

●Grid-scale energy storage●Advanced nuclear reactors●Refrigeration and air conditioning using refrigerantsthat do not promote global warming●Zero-net-energy buildings●Hydrogen production using renewable energy
sources●Decarbonization of industrial heat and carbonneutral building materials●Decarbonization of the food and agricultural sectors●CCU, CCS
Source: joebiden.com

Source: Prepared by NEDO Washington D.C. office and TSC based on documents retrieved from joebiden.com.

For consideration: Ambitious policy goals have been announced on climate change. Returning the United States to the Paris

Agreement and other agreements has also been announced. International cooperation in the field of energy and environment may be
accelerated and expectations are high for expansion of public markets for climate change. Confidence in Japan's technologicalcapabilities is still high, and opportunities for further U.S.-Japan and international cooperation will probably be considered.
Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

15

Highlights
of
NEDO
PROJECT
Project
Results
SUCCESSD case study
R&

STORIES

Volume3

The results of many NEDO projects can be seen in the manufacturing processes of various companies
and in end-products we actually use. This series of articles, taken from the NEDO Project Success
Stories website, includes digests of interviews that highlight the development stories of how companies
overcame daunting technical challenges to realize commercialization.

WHILL Inc.

A Personal Mobility That Is Truly Inviting

WHILL Model A

WHILL proprietary front omni-wheel

The small, light weight, user-replaceable
lithium-ion battery developed for Model C
Model C, a small, lightweight personal electric vehicle

NEDO’s role
Innovation Commercialization Venture Support Project/Development
Promotion Project for Practical Use of Welfare Equipment
Against the backdrop of a rapidly aging
society, expectations for the development ofwelfare equipment are growing to create asociety more responsive to the needs of thedisabled and elderly.
To encourage the practical applicationof welfare equipment that better meetssuch social needs, NEDO is carrying out
the Development Promotion Project for
Practical Use of Welfare Equipment. Whenselecting recipients for project support,
NEDO impartially decides which companies
to support, using the following three criteria:
1. the project must be novel with researchand development elements, 2. the project
must meet the needs of users, and 3. the16

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

project must realize concrete benefits, havea certain degree market scalability, and be
economically viable for users.
For companies selected under the
program, NEDO confirms the status of theirdevelopment and supports their participationin trade shows to encourage businessmatching, while providing support based onmarket feedback and user needs.
WHILL Inc. conducted research anddevelopment under this project anddeveloped a front wheel and motor system
for a lightweight electric wheelchair that
demonstrates exceptional performance.

The NEDO Project Success Stories website
features interviews with companies involvedin these projects. To date, more than 100
articles have been published.
The original version of this article with moredetailed development episodes is available on
our website!

For further information
regarding this wheelchair,please visit the below website:

Search

https://www.nedo.go.jp/hyoukabu/
articles/201901toshiba/(only available in Japanese)Aims
New type of Personal Mobility that gives one the independence to go wherever l ife
leads

Patented omni-wheels allow
us er s t o t r ave l e a s i l y on
rough terrain and make tightturns

Traditional electric wheelchairs have been less than ideal
for traveling on rough surfaces, including gravel, and formaking tight turns. In fact, many people do not want to be
seen using a wheelchair. In this project, a highly functionaland stylish personal electric vehicle was developed and put
into practical application by defying conventional wisdom
about wheelchairs.

Developing optimal omni-wheels
Users of conventional electric wheelchairs often find it
difficult to change direction in narrow spaces. For example,
they have to maneuver the wheelchair backward whenriding an elevator, which causes anxiety and involves adegree of danger. However, WHILL models are developed
using proprietary omni-wheels (all-directional wheels) andallow users to change direction immediately. WHILL Inc.,the venture company that developed the WHILL electricvehicle, started to work toward the development andcommercialization of a novel personal mobility after hearingthat a wheelchair user had given up on going to a grocery
store just two blocks away. With funding from NEDO, thecompany developed a unique wheel structure in which eachwheel consists of 24 smaller wheels mounted perpendicularly
to the direction of forward
motion. The rotation of these main and sub-wheels aroundthe front-to-back and side-to-side axes allows users to moveseamlessly in any direction while a four-wheel-drive (4WD)
mechanism generates enough torque for users to negotiate
obstacles and rough roads. The first commercial model, theWHILL Model A, was released in September 2014, and its
novel concept and beautiful form earned it the Good DesignAward 2015.

Model C can be easily taken apart and reassembled

Achievements

Challenges

Small, popular, lightweightmodel that can be easily disassembled and is available at
an affordable priceDeveloping a popular lightweight model that canbe easily disassembled
Despite all the praise garnered by the Model A, someusers expressed a desire to disassemble it into componentsthat could be transported in a passenger car. This prompted
the company to embark on the development of the ModelC standard type as part of NEDO’s project. The company
decided to do a fundamental review of the structural designof the Model A, including its motor and battery, in order toensure that the new model could be disassembled without
needing special tools for loading into a passenger car. The
Model C, developed with funding from NEDO, features analuminum body instead of the steel that was used for the
Model A in order to make it more compact and affordable. It
also features an electric motor embedded in each of the rear
wheels to ensure sufficient power to glide over rough terrain
with a two-wheel-drive (2WD) mechanism. The stationary
lead battery used for the Model A was replaced by a userreplaceable lithium-ion battery. The in-wheel motor and thebattery
were both developed for the model in collaboration withmajor Japanese manufacturers. Furthermore, the new modelallows even a person with little physical strength to separate
it into three parts using only a lever and then reassemble
it with great ease, the desired feature that had driven thecompany to develop the Model C. It weighs approximately
52 kilograms, less than half the weight of the previous model,
at less than half the price. Moreover, the Model C is available
in six colors. The Model C, which was released in April 2017,is a completely new product and not just an upgrade. Morethan 1,000 WHILL electric wheelchairs have been shippedworldwide, with shipments continuing steadily.
(Interview: November 2017)

Model C, shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2017, attracted attention for
its color options and refined design
Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

17

or

Innovat13

Liberaware Co., Ltd.

CEO MIN Hongkyu

Development of IBIS, the world's smallest dedicated indoor drone,
and provision of inspection, rental and DX services
2016: Founding of Liberaware Co., Ltd.
2018: Selected as finalist for IoT Lab Selection by METI andIoT Acceleration Lab (NEDO project adopted as part of
support for finalists)
2019: Launched business for renting drones to conduct
inspections of indoor spaces
2020: Added image analysis/editing service to rental business.
Company featured on JAPAN GOV, the official social
media platform of the Japanese Government.

IBIS, a small industrial drone for indoor uses

https://liberaware.co.jp/ (only available in Japanese)

Q1

How do you use
NEDO’s support
programs?

Since the establishment of the company,
we have developed in-house all the necessary hardware, software, and applications
for the drone, so we needed funds and applied for the NEDO-supported projects.
After we were selected, we have beendeveloping the basic technologies necessary for flight in indoor spaces, and thisknowledge is now being used in our inspection and rental services. In addition,
it was helpful to receive advice from experts on management strategies. Our services are now being used by end-user andmaintenance companies that have indoor
facilities and equipment. We are also attracting public attention and were featured
on J A P A N G OV,
wh ich is the official social media
platfor m for theJapanese Government.

Q2

What isLiberaware’s vision
for the future?

The infrastructure and maintenancemarket, which is our target, is increasingly
looking for new ideas and maintenancemethods, given the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic, aging infrastructure, and labor
shortages due to declining birthrates andthe aging population. In response to thissituation, we have started a service thatutilizes our hardware strengths to inspect
narrow, dark, and dirty indoor spaces andenvironments, analyze/edit video images,
and provide predictive maintenance. In
the future, by collecting more data, we
aim to develop infrastructure maintenancesolutions both in Japan and overseasthat place as little burden on people aspossible, thereby supporting people's lives
and helping companies improve safety
conditions and productivity.

Inspecting smokestack

Comment from NEDO
The company has established its own in­dus­t ri­alapplications by accurately grasping social issues
that need to be addressed by using drones andsteadily accumulating the basic technologies
necessary to do this. I hope they gain valuable
experience in Japan, a country with many such
issues, and then expand their business widely.

Operating behind ceiling

NEDO startup support programsfor R&D related to industrial technologies

Program scale

PCA
STS

More information on NEDO startup support programs

NEP

https://www.nedo.go.jp/activities/ZZJP2_100063.html

Programs used by startups featured in this section

18

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

TCP(only available
in Japanese)

CRI. SCA

Concluded FY2019

Stage/time

TCP

Technology
Commercialization
Program

Support for entrepreneurial development at universities, research
institutions, and startups

etitive newat have comp
th
rs
eu
n
re
elop
er entrep
ectives to dev
ortant to fost
sp
p
er
p
im
f
o
is
y
it
et
y,
le
ri
the econom
amine notab
ort from a va
p
ex
p
e
w
su
p
e,
u
er
rt
To revitalize
H
a
.
es st
epreneurs
NEDO provid
ups and entr
rt
a
st
d
technologies.
te
en
ori
.
developmentard the futurew
tow
research and
ro
g
to
g
are continuin
startups thator

Innovat

14

Luce Search Co., Ltd.

President WATANABE Yutaka

Next-generation problem-solving company that handles everything from drone
development and design to manufacturing, on-site measurements, and image analysis
2011: Founding of Luce Search Co., Ltd.
2014: Conducted demonstration flight for former Prime Minister Abe
at Robot Revolution Realization Conference held at Prime
Minister's Office.
2016: Received 7th Robot Grand Prize (Minister of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award) for developmentof a small laser-equipped drone.
July 2016-March 2018: Selected for NEDO project to develop systems to address social
issues such as infrastructure maintenance, management, and renewal.
2019: When Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism revised inspection
guidelines for road bridges, the firm’s SPIDER structural inspection robot system
was listed in performance catalog as inspection support technology.

High-performance drone SPIDER-ST

https://luce-s.net/ (only available in Japanese)

Q1

How do you use NEDO’s
support programs?

We have been participating in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport
and Tourism (MLIT) site inspections
since 2013, with a focus on using drones
for bridge inspections. Since our company
is based in Hiroshima, we were initiallyunable to keep track of national directions
in development. After being selected by
NEDO, however, we were able to better
understand MLIT and METI robot development activities and could focus within
the company on development goals. In

addition, during the two-year project development period, we were able to speed
up the development process by receiving
detailed advice from experts at briefing
sessions and on-site inspections organizedby NEDO.

Q2

we are also focused on software such as
high-speed modeling and polygonizationof point cloud models to develop more
integrated 3D solutions. By fiscal year
2022, we intend to move forward fromthe "demonstration test" phase, where an
idea is new and interesting, to the “regularbusiness” phase, where we are no longer
conscious of the idea as being new.

What is Luce
Search’s vision for
the future?

Our company designs and manufactures
products with a focus on enhancing safety
and achieving results under the theme "thecompany is the worksite.” In parallel withthe hardware aspect of robot development,
Real-time confirmation of data

Comment from NEDO

Drone in automatic flight under conditions where GPS is notavailable

NEP

NEDO
Entrepreneurs
Program

Support for entrepreneurs throughprovision of specialists who assist
with commercialization effortsSTS

The company's drones, which can fly stably evenaround structures subject to wind turbulence,
demonstrated high performance in demonstration
testing conducted by NEDO and MLIT on actual
bridges. Expectations are high for this technology
to efficiently inspect bridges, including those withpoor scaffolding or tall structures.

Data can be confirmed at worksite

Seed-stage
Technology-based
Startups

Support for commercialization ofseed-stage technology-based startups by promoting collaborations
with venture capitalists and otherrelevant entities

CRI

Collaboration with
Research
InstituteSupport for R&D-based startups todevelop commercial applications

Concluded FY2019

SCA

Startups in
Corporate
Alliance

Support for R&D-based startups to
conduct joint research with projectcompanies
Concluded FY2019

PCA

Product
Commercialization
Alliance

Support for R&D-based startups todevelop concrete business plans forsales activity approximately three
years after submission of proposal

Focus NEDO 2021 No.79

19

Domestic Offices● Kansai Branch Office● Head Office

9th Floor, Knowledge Capital Tower C Grand Front Osaka,
3-1 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0011 Japan
Tel: +81-6-4965-2130
Fax: +81-6-4965-2131

MUZA Kawasaki Central Tower, 16F-20F
1310 Omiya-cho, Saiwai-ku
Kawasaki City, Kanagawa 212-8554 Japan
Tel: +81-44-520-5100
Fax: +81-44-520-5103

Overseas Offices● Washington, D.C

1717 H Street, NW, Suite 815
Washington, D.C. 20006, U.S.A.
Tel: +1-202-822-9298
Fax: +1-202-733-3533● Silicon Valley

3945 Freedom Circle, Suite 790
Santa Clara, CA 95054 U.S.A.
Tel: +1-408-567-8033
Fax: +1-408-567-9831● Europe

10, rue de la Paix 75002
Paris, France
Tel: +33-1-4450-1828
Fax: +33-1-4450-1829● New Delhi

15th Floor, Hindustan Times House,
18-20 Kasturba Gandhi Marg,
Connaught Place,
New Delhi 110 001, India
Tel: +91-11-4351-0101
Fax: +91-11-4351-0102

MUZA Kawasaki Central Tower, 1310 Omiya-cho, Saiwai-ku
Kawasaki City, Kanagawa 212-8554 Japan
Tel: +81-44-520-5100 Fax: +81-44-520-5103
URL: https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/index.html● Beijing

2001 Chang Fu Gong Office Building
Jia-26, Jian Guo Men Wai Street
Beijing 100022, P.R. China
Tel: +86-10-6526-3510
Fax: +86-10-6526-3513● Bangkok

8th Floor, Sindhorn Building Tower 2
130-132 Wittayu Road, Lumphini
Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66-2-256-6725
Fax: +66-2-256-6727

February 2021