Japanese manufacturers exhibited a street lamp, grass cutter, emergency power supply and other devices that are powered by Li-ion secondary batteries at Eco-Products 2008, which took place at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo from Dec 11 to 13, 2008.
Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, the largest Li-ion secondary battery manufacturer, presented its solar street lamp and emergency power supply that include Li-ion secondary batteries. The solar street lamp stores the power generated during the day with its built-in capacitor and uses it for illumination at night.
Recently, solar street lamps combined with low-power white LEDs are increasingly being adopted as a measure against global warming. Most of the existing solar street lamps, however, use lead batteries, which Sanyo aims to replace with its Li-ion secondary batteries. The exhibited battery was a prototype, but Sanyo is "aiming to commercialize it in two to three years," it said.
The volume and weight of the Li-ion secondary battery module are 1/2 and 1/3, respectively, of those of a lead battery module. Therefore, when it is used in a solar street lamp, a capacitor case, which is normally required, is no longer needed, according to Sanyo. Consequently, it will become possible to attach the module on the back of a solar cell panel, for example.
Moreover, if a battery module is positioned on the back of a solar cell panel, installation costs can be cut because wiring and other parts can be simplified. In addition, Li-ion secondary batteries have other advantages including lower maintenance costs due to their longer product life, which is about twice the life of lead batteries, Sanyo said.
3kg emergency power supply
Sanyo showcased the "KPS-L1," an emergency power supply it launched in fall 2008. The company said it would release the unit in January 2008 in its press release issued in August 2007. But the market release delayed for about half a year due to changes in specifications and some other factors, according to Sanyo.
The KPS-L1 is a make-to-order product. And the company said it also has products with specifications suited for the medical and disaster emergency fields.
The emergency power supply measures 250 x 219 x 85mm and weighs about 3kg. The capacity and the voltage of the battery module are about 130Wh and 25.2V, respectively. It is usually connected to an outlet. When the power goes out, for example, its automatic power failure detection function will work. And it will light an LED lamp and rings an alarm for five minutes so the users can find where the emergency power supply is.
The main unit includes an inverter circuit and is equipped with an AC100V power supply outlet, the same type as found in a home, as well as two USB connectors for charging mobile phones and other mobile devices. It can be charged from not only a home power supply outlet but also from the standard DC12V cigarette lighter in a vehicle.
The price is about ¥100,000 (approx US$1,124). But it may vary depending on the number of units ordered because it is only manufactured to order, Sanyo said.
Low-noise rechargeable lawn mower
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd (FHI) displayed a rechargeable lawn mower that uses a Li-ion secondary battery module. The company has been marketing the product since February 2007. It is mounted with a 98.8Wh 26V Li-ion secondary battery. It measures 1,840 x 630 x 405mm and weighs 6.5kg, including the battery's weight of 1.2kg.
The Li-ion secondary battery is a product of NEC Tokin Corp. The lawn mower can be charged as quickly as in 60 minutes because its positive electrode is made with lithium manganate, a highly safe material. Its operating time is about 34 minutes.
As its price is ¥113,400 (including tax), somewhat higher than that of a typical engine-driven lawn mower, not many units have been sold to date, FHI said. However, if unit sales of its electric vehicle (EV) slated for launch in 2009 grow, the lawn mower will become more affordable. It is because the EV will come with Li-ion secondary batteries made from similar materials, reducing the price of the batteries, the company said.
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