The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) has selected SoftBank Corp., Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd., and JDSC, Inc. to implement and support demonstration projects aimed at accelerating the social implementation of next-generation renewable energy technologies.

SoftBank will conduct a demonstration at its communication base station on an island in Tokyo to assess the installability and durability of chalcopyrite solar cells (CIS solar cells). By verifying their performance under different conditions, the project aims to identify suitable conditions for installing and deploying CIS solar cells at various locations across Tokyo.

Yachiyo Engineering will demonstrate biogasification power generation technology for hard-to-recycle paper at a paper recycling facility. The project will verify the effectiveness of the technology as a means of converting paper that is difficult to recycle into energy.

JDSC will install fractal-structured PV modules above a parking lot and along sidewalks at its office building. The demonstration will examine the scalability of renewable energy deployment in areas where available space and landscape considerations pose constraints. It will also investigate the potential for the PV modules to help mitigate the urban heat island effect.

These projects demonstrate the diverse approaches being explored to expand renewable energy deployment in urban and other space-constrained environments. In particular, the use of new PV technologies and unconventional spaces could open up additional opportunities for solar power deployment where conventional installation sites are limited.