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News Release from: Omron Corp
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 27 April 2004

Joint venture to
exploit capacitors for storage

Omron Corp, Mitsui and Co, Okamura Laboratory and Power Systems Co are forming a joint venture to promote the full-scale use of a novel high performance electric double layer capacitor system

ECaSS is a next generation capacitor system invented in 1992 by Michio Okamura, President of Okamura Laboratory. This breakthrough technology increases charge capacity (energy density), which is characteristically insufficient for conventional electric double layer capacitors, beyond that of lead-acid batteries and nickel-metal-hydride batteries to a level of capacitance close to that of lithium-ion batteries.

ECaSS is an environment-friendly technology and contains no harmful substances such as lead, and is also expected to contribute to solving energy and environmental problems on a global scale as a means of advancing high-efficiency energy use.

ECaSS uses nanogate capacitor technology, activated carbon capacitor technology and innovative electronic circuit technology.

This joint venture possesses all of the development, production and sales functions necessary for the commercialisation of ECaSS, by combining the technologies of Okamura Laboratory and Power Systems with the manufacturing knowhow and quality assurance capabilities of Omron, along with the procurement and sales and other related capabilities of Mitsui in both domestic and overseas markets of various industries.

From a product and technology standpoint, by using activated carbon capacitor technology (energy density: 6-12Wh/kg), which is already technically complete, as the base, the companies will be able to further the practical development of nanogate capacitor technology and to plan for mass commercial production, aiming for energy density of 40Wh/kg (equivalent to the effective capacitance of nickel-metal-hydride batteries) within the fiscal year ending 2004 and 60Wh/kg (nearing the effective charge capacity of lithium-ion batteries) within the fiscal year ending March 2005.

In addition, from the standpoint of production, the companies are aiming to inject Y2.5 billion in capital investment for mass production during the next 3 years through the fiscal year ending March 2006, and to achieve a production capacity of 300,000 cells per month during the fiscal year ending March 2007.

Power Systems plans to set up a mass production line in Omron's facilities.

From a business standpoint, the new venture aims to achieve sales of over Y10 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2007 as the leading company in the electric double layer capacitor market.

This market is expected to continue expanding in the future, and the joint venture will focus particularly on expansion in the automobile, industrial equipment, and new energy storage systems markets.

Power Systems, which to date has been carrying out the commercialisation of ECaSS, will be allocating new shares at the end of May, to be purchased in their entirety by Omron and Mitsui.

Over the next two years Omron and Mitsui will contribute a total of Y2 billion in investment and financing.

The ratio of investment between Omron and Mitsui has yet to be determined, but Omron is planned to become the largest shareholder.

Omron and Mitsui will both dispatch employees to Power Systems.

Michio Okamura, the President of Okamura Laboratory, will be the Chairman of the joint venture, the President will be appointed from Omron, and the President of the present Power Systems, Masaaki Yamagishi, and one candidate from Mitsui will be the two Vice-Presidents, while other board members are also scheduled to be appointed.

Omron has expanded its business thus far as a major manufacturer in the control equipment field.

Relying on the technical ability it has developed in the past, Omron believes it is possible to attempt mass-production of ECaSS, the market for which is expected to rapidly expand in the near future, and to promote the widespread use of ECaSS.

Omron's decision to take part in this joint venture is based on its hopes to promote efficient energy use and to contribute to society on a wider scale.

Mitsui recognises that, in addition to the production and sales of capacitors, ECaSS business will lead to the creation of a number of new applications of ECaSS.

As a general trading company, Mitsui believes that the network it has built up over multiple industries will be indispensable in this respect.

Mitsui entered into the partnership after comprehensively examining the positive effects on energy use and the environment that will result from the use of ECaSS, and realising the promising nature of this business.

In 1992, Okamura Laboratory combined electric double layer capacitors with electronic circuits to design the ECaSS storage system.

In 1996, Okamura Laboratory discovered the phenomenon that would become the principle of nanogate capacitors, which would further increase the energy density of the capacitor part, and thereafter released the findings of its research, and continued developing and publicising its research.

However, it was believed that in order to spread the use of ECaSS throughout the world it would be necessary to develop a system to reduce costs, achieve large-scale production and implement sales.

It was finally decided that the most optimum plan would be to position Power Systems as the core of the operation, and use the investment, production technology and business capabilities of the ECaSS group members Omron and Mitsui.

Power Systems has been involved in the research development, production and sales of ECaSS, and in order to achieve the goal of fully developing the ECaSS business, and while also strengthening the technical collaboration with Okamura Laboratory for ECaSS, Power Systems came to the conclusion that it would be best to proceed under a new management system, with investment from Omron and Mitsui.

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