Author: fecoa-admin

Manufacturers Agree on Common Footprint for Automotive IGBT Power Modules
 
Neubiberg and Nuremberg, Germany and Tokyo, Japan, May 10, 2012 – Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and the chip manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG (FSE/NYSE: IFX) serve the automotive industry by extending the supplier base for power modules deployed in automotive hybrid and electrical vehicles (HEV). Today at the PCIM Europe trade show (Nuremberg, Germany, May 8-10, 2012) the two companies announced their agreement on a joint common footprint for automotive IGBT power modules using the Infineon HybridPACKTM 2 power module. In response to the need for supply security for HEV power modules, Infineon and Fuji Electric agreed on the size of the module, the position of pin-outs, the use of the pin-finned copper base plate and on other mechanical features. The agreement comprises a HybridPACK 2 module, the FS800R07A2E3 module featuring 650V/800A.

“With the world-wide requirements for saving fossil fuel and increasing kilometer-per-liter, the demand for hybrid and electric vehicles will increase further. A reliable dual-source supplier base of power module will be an important foundation for supporting the automotive industry to expand the lineup and the production of hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Toru Hosen, President of the Power Semiconductors division at Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.  “This agreement also enables us to expand our product lineup.”

“In its ambition to make cars clean, safe and affordable Infineon developed power modules to enable the use of hybrid and electrical motors in all vehicle classes,” said Jochen Hanebeck, President of the Automotive division at Infineon Technologies AG. “The combination of our four decades of experience in power electronics and car electronics has resulted in our highly compact and reliable HybridPACK power modules. We are proud to serve the automotive industry with this agreement that caters for a reliable dual-source supplier base.”
The HybridPACK 2 modules of Infineon are available in high-volume. Fuji Electric plans to have power modules with HybridPACK 2 footprint available as of 2013.
 
About Fuji Electric Corp. of America and Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
Fuji Electric Corp. of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and has been responsible for sales and distribution of the company’s products since 1970.  Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. has been developing power electronics equipment since 1923, and is a global leader in industrial products ranging from semiconductors, power supply, and power generation equipment to AC drives and electric vehicle charging stations.  For more information visit www.americas.fujielectric.com

About Infineon
Infineon  Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency , mobility , and security . In the 2011 fiscal year (ending September 30), the company reported sales of Euro 4 billion with close to 26,000 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY). Further information is available at www.infineon.com
 
Media Contacts:
Doretta Caprarola
Fuji Electric Marketing Manager
(201) 490-3933
dcaprarola@fecoa.fujielectric.com
 
 
####

Fuji Electric has released a Blower Selection Guide for Commercial Spa applications.  Most spas and hot tubs require regenerative blowers to provide the pressure and flow needed to agitate the water, but determining the appropriate blower size can often be a challenge.  As a manufacturer of Ring Compressors & Blowers for a variety of applications, Fuji Electric has made sizing a blower quick and easy with their new guide. Click to view the new Commercial Spa: Blower Selection Guide.

Manufacturer To Support Development of EnergySource’s Hudson Ranch II Project
 
Tokyo, Japan, April 26, 2012 – Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., a leading supplier of turbine generator equipment to the power generation industry, today announced its investment of $10 million in the development of a geothermal plant in Imperial Valley, California, owned and operated by EnergySource LLC, an independent renewable energy generation company that develops utility scale geothermal power plants.
EnergySource plans to commence drilling mid-year for Hudson Ranch II, with plant construction to begin in 2013 and commercial operations in 2015. Like its recently completed Hudson Ranch I project, in which EnergySource first selected Fuji Electric steam turbine generator equipment, the new plant will generate 49 MW from one of the largest and highest temperature geothermal resources in North America, the Salton Sea resource in Imperial County, California. Fuji Electric is a leading supplier of steam turbine generator equipment to the geothermal sector and its investment will support EnergySource’s advancement of the Hudson Ranch II project.

“Fuji Electric supports accelerating renewable energy projects in the area of power generation. The company is committed to expanding and growing its geothermal power plant business as a major emphasis for the company,” said Naoto Yoneyama, Managing Executive Officer & Director of Fuji Electric. “With EnergySource’s successful commercial launch of Hudson Ranch I last month, Fuji Electric saw a great opportunity to invest in development of the second plant.” 

Hudson Ranch I and Hudson Ranch II will each generate enough power to serve 50,000 homes in the Southwestern region.
 
“EnergySource is looking forward to bringing its second geothermal plant on-line and continuing to design and operate power plants in this very robust and dependable resource,” said Dave Watson, president and CEO of EnergySource. “Fuji Electric’s investment in our project will accelerate our timeline and our larger development plans to bring new capacity to California and Southwestern utilities in order to meet their state-mandated renewable energy requirements through the delivery of geothermal power.”

About Fuji Electric
Fuji Electric Corp. of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and has been responsible for sales and distribution of the company’s products since 1970.  Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. has been developing power electronics equipment since 1923, and is a global leader in industrial products ranging from semiconductors, power supply, and power generation equipment to AC drives and electric vehicle charging stations.  For more information please visit www.americas.fujielectric.com

About EnergySource
EnergySource is an independent developer, constructor, operator and owner of utility scale geothermal power generation projects in California’s Salton Sea resource, selling wholesale base load renewable power and environmental attributes to western utilities subject to state requirements to purchase energy from renewable resources. EnergySource employs an experienced team of professionals with long experience in all aspects of energy development and geothermal power. The company has an advanced pipeline of geothermal projects it is currently developing. EnergySource is headquartered in El Centro, California, with an office in San Diego. For more information see www.energysource.us.com
 
Media Contacts:
Doretta Caprarola
Fuji Electric Marketing Manager
(201) 490-3933
dcaprarola@fecoa.fujielectric.com
 
###
 

Tokyo, Japan, April 11, 2012– Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. announced today that it has decided to establish post-processing production facilities in Shenzhen, China for the purpose of expanding its business in China’s power semiconductor market.  At Fuji Electric (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., located in Shenzhen, China, a new wing will be constructed and new assembly and testing lines for the post-processing of power semiconductors will be installed.  Fuji Electric plans to increase production after the new wing is completed, boosting production capacity to 50,000 units per month.

This investment, which totaled approximately 1.53 billion yen,  is scheduled to commence in September 2012.  Fuji Electric estimates that the market for power semiconductors in China is worth about 300 billion yen and projects it to grow by over 8%^※ by fiscal 2015. Accordingly, the Company regards this market in China as highly important.  Through this investment, Fuji Electric will establish comprehensive operations spanning from development to sales of products tailored to the requirements of the local market, thereby realizing local production for local consumption and better enabling the Company to respond to exchange-rate fluctuations.

With experience in operating Fuji Electric’s photoconductor business in China, Fuji Electric (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., has already established an efficient production system that capitalizes on its existing facilities and locally based staff.  While Fuji Electric has established production facilities for post-processing production in Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the establishment of this facility in China will enable it to further diversify risks and more effectively provide a stable supply of products to customers.

About Fuji Electric Corp. of America
Fuji Electric Corp. of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and has been responsible for sales and distribution of the company’s products since 1970.  Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. has been developing power electronics equipment since 1923, and is a global leader in industrial products ranging from semiconductors, power supply, and power generation equipment to AC drives and electric vehicle charging stations.  For more information please visit www.americas.fujielectric.com  

Media Contacts:
Doretta Caprarola
Fuji Electric Marketing Manager
(201) 490-3933
dcaprarola@fecoa.fujielectric.com
 

###
 

Manufacturer Chosen to Provide Power-Generating Equipment in Berlin, New Hampshire 
 
Tokyo, Japan, March 23, 2012 – Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., announced today that it has accepted an order for biomass power-generating equipment to be installed in a power plant in Berlin, New Hampshire, from Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., Inc. (BWCC).  The order is for biomass power-generating equipment with a generating-end output of 75 MW, making the plant the largest in the northeast of the U.S.

The plant is expected to be completed in September 2013 and will supply power to the city of Berlin, New Hampshire through the Public Service of New Hampshire, which is the local electric utility.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, enacted in 2009, has made biomass power generation eligible for tax breaks as a renewable energy source.  It is expected that this law will lead to the further construction of biomass power plants in the future as an excellent power generation method in terms of protection of the global environment, as it does not cause an increase in atmospheric CO2.

Fuji Electric regards North America as one of the important regions for its power plant business. The Company plans to develop the business aggressively, including geothermal and thermal power generation, in addition to biomass power generation.

About Fuji Electric Corp. of America
Fuji Electric Corp. of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and has been responsible for sales and distribution of the company’s products since 1970.  Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. has been developing power electronics equipment since 1923, and is a global leader in industrial products ranging from semiconductors, photoconductors, and radiation detection equipment to AC drives and electric vehicle charging stations.  For more information, visit www.americas.fujielectric.com.
 
Media:
Doretta Caprarola (Fuji Electric)
(201) 490-3933
dcaprarola@fecoa.fujielectric.com
 
###
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Variable frequency drives have emerged as a surefire way to reduce energy costs in induction motor systems. From pumps and fans to material handling and industrial processes, VFDs help save many millions of kilowatt-hours around the world each and every year. For additional information please click here.

A collaborative U.S.-Japanese project that will use the Aperture Center at Mesa del Sol as the centerpiece for a smart grid technology demonstration is on track to go on line by mid 2012.

Announced in June 2010, the project is being carried out by NEDO, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, a quasi-government agency from Japan, along with the state, Mesa del Sol, Public Service Company of New Mexico, Sandia and Los Alamos national labs and Los Alamos County.

The 79,000 -square-foot Aperture Center, where Mesa del Sol and Sandia labs have offices, will be the test site for a commercial microgrid.

Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. announces the release of V-Series Intelligent Power Modules (IPMs), which are fitted with Fuji Electric’s latest 6th-generation insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) chips to greatly reduce power loss. 

Fuji Electric announced that it had developed the V-Series of 6th-generation IGBT chips in April 2010. With the development of the V-Series of IPMs fitted with the 6th-generation IGBT chips, the Company is moving ahead with a series of sales releases as detailed in the chart below. 

The V-Series IPMs achieve the industry’s lowest level of power loss and radiation noise, made possible by the 6th-generation IGBT chips along with Fuji Electric’s latest drive integrated circuit (IC)※. By maximizing the modules’ low-loss properties, Fuji Electric was able to reduce their size and thinness by as much as 80% of that of conventional models. 

With these low-power-loss and compact features, V-Series IPMs can contribute significantly to reducing size and energy while raising efficiency in various applications of power electronics, including general-purpose invertors, numerical control machinery, industrial robots, business-use air conditioners, and power conditioners for photovoltaic power generation. 

※ The drive IC controls the on/off switching of IGBT modules and provides protective functions.

1. Product features 

(1) Fuji Electric’s latest 6th-generation IGBT chips and most recent drive IC enable the modules to achieve the industry’s least amount of power loss (20% lower than Fuji Electric’s previous products) and lowest level of noise 

(2) Modules are fitted with four alarm lights as an output function for signaling causes of abnormalities—an industry first 

(3) Overall size and thinness of the modules have been reduced by as much as 80% compared to conventional products 

2. Overview of specifications of representative models 

3. Primary applications 

The series is designed for use in general-purpose invertors, general-purpose servo systems, numerical control machinery, industrial robots, business-use air conditioners, and power conditioners for photovoltaic power generation. 

4. Sales target 

Fuji Electric is targeting 10 billion yen in sales for all models in the V-Series IPMs equipped with the 6th-generation IGBT chips in fiscal 2011. 

Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo; president and representative director: Michihiro Kitazawa), Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo; president and representative director: Masaru Onishi) and Innovation Thru Energy Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Pankaj Kumar Garg) today announced that they will enter a collaboration in the area of distribution to initiate business projects that employ advanced refrigeration and cold storage transport technologies. 
1. Background and objectives 

The three companies will collaborate on creating distribution systems that utilize the IceBattery® System* and refrigerant plates developed by Innovation Thru Energy.
 
In the past, cold storage techniques have relied on the use of dry ice. The techniques are considered problematic due to the difficulty in maintaining constant temperatures; large amounts of CO2 are also emitted during storage. The IceBattery® System, however, is able to maintain a constant temperature within a range from minus 20 degrees to 8 degrees Celsius for up to 120 hours. This is achieved through the application of refrigerant plates produced with cold gel technologies that are used in the aerospace industry. By applying these technologies, items can be transported at fixed temperatures that remain constant, allowing highly reliable transport of goods that have been challenging to handle in the past, such as fresh foods, medical supplies, and semiconductor materials.

Fuji Electric has earned a strong reputation for its refrigeration and cold storage equipment employed at food distribution centers and retail stores, and possesses considerable expertise in refrigeration and cold storage technologies for food distribution. Meanwhile, Japan Airlines has gained extensive experience in the airline transport industry, in which requirements for safety and quality control are stringent. With its know-how and original transport systems that utilize the IceBattery® System, Japan Airlines intends to leverage its international transport network to create new business opportunities not only in Japan, but also overseas. 

Distinct features of the IceBattery® System achieved through the technologies developed by Innovation Thru Energy for application in distribution: 

• Energy savings: as the system does not require electricity for the transport of goods, overall electricity can be reduced up to 50%
• Temperature control: a constant temperature can be maintained within a range from minus 20 degrees to 8 degrees Celsius, even if the outdoor temperature is above 40 degrees Celsius
• Extended storage: constant temperatures can be maintained for 120 hours or more
• Reduction of CO2: significant reductions in CO2 emissions are possible since no dry ice is used
• Cost efficiency: costs can be cut by approximately 60% in comparison with cold storage systems that use dry ice or other methods

Voith Fuji Hydro K.K. (“Voith Fuji Hydro”) announced today that it has executed a business transfer agreement to acquire the water turbine business of Ebara Corporation (“Ebara”).

1. Objective

Voith Fuji Hydro agreed to acquire the water turbine business from Ebara in order to further strengthen its water turbine activities, a major pillar of its business.

Voith Fuji Hydro’s water turbine business is expected to attract steady future demand as a source of renewable energy that contributes to the realization of a low-carbon society. In addition to stable demand from facility renovation, this forecast of steady growth is based on the trend toward the new construction of mainly small-scale hydraulic power generation stations interspersed with plans for large-scale projects.

Turning to overseas markets, demand is also projected to remain robust, particularly in such emerging regions as Asia, where the development of power sources that use abundant water resources is high.

Voith Fuji Hydro plans to further ramp up efforts aimed at modernizing hydraulic power plants in Japan. The acquisition of this business also aims to assist Voith Fuji Hydro in delivering to Ebara’s customers new technologies that help improve the performance of turbines and generators increase the output of power plants and streamline maintenance. In collaboration with the Voith Hydro Group, Voith Fuji Hydro will also focus its efforts on large-scale hydraulic power generation, pumped-storage power generation, and other related facilities outside of Japan. Collectively, these and other related endeavors will facilitate hydraulic power business expansion while at the same time contributing to the realization of a key social requirement, namely the development of a low-carbon society.

From a production perspective, operations will be integrated into Voith Fuji Hydro’s Kawasaki Factory. Every effort will be made to ensure customer satisfaction through the establishment of optimal production and supply chain structures.

1. Scheduled Date of Business Transfer

June 1, 2011 (tentative)

2. Company Profiles (as of March 31, 2011)

Overview of companies holding joint-ownership of Voith Fuji Hydro K.K.