Ongoing/Implemented Research Projects
Leveraging co-benefits for a healthy net-zero transitions in Japanese and other G7 cities: A scalable approach for transformative change
This three-year transdisciplinary project aims to create a collaborative network with researchers at Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), Hokkaido University, The University of Texas and Laboratory for Sciences of Climate and Environment (LSCE) on designing and demonstrating a co-design approach including 1) policy scoping, 2) co-benefits/interlinkages analysis, 3) initial policy recommendations, 4) feasibility assessments, and 5) final recommended policy and enabling reforms in Kawasaki, Niigata, and Hachinohe, Japan.
Funded by: Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies, IGES, Japan, under the financial support of
Wellcome Trust, UK (2023-2026)
Co-benefits assessment of the hybrid solar-wind biomass power generation in Indonesia and Thailand
This research is a continuation of the previous development in the co-benefits tool, which focuses on the estimation of the expected environmental-health-economic benefits from the implementation of the hybrid renewable microgrids (solar-wind and biomass) in the residential areas in Indonesia and Thailand.
Funded by: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, IGES, Japan (2022-2023)
Quantitative Evaluation on Solar Energy Co-benefits in Mongolia
The primary purpose of this project is to outline the steps that would be involved in quantifying the co-benefits of solar energy projects as well as provide training materials and support training in Mongolia on co-benefits. This project aims at providing a review of appropriate formulas/methods for calculating co-benefits (Environmental-Economic- Health) of solar energy projects in Mongolia and presenting the co-benefits in manner that is easy to understand for policymakers.
Design and development of a low cost highly efficient Microgrid control in Chikushi Campus
This research focuses on introducing a novel and low-cost control scheme which can be applied to a simple residential microgrid, consisting of a wind turbine, PV array, and battery storage. The main control layers of the model include the fuzzy logic controller used for MPPT of both the wind turbine and PV systems and a PI controller used to control both the battery charging and inverter of the system. This work is part of our current research activities on intelligent control methodologies and numerical optimization algorithms that are being developed at the EES Lab.
=> Project Report
Integrated energy-environment-public health-economy assessment of the Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) in the major urban areas in Japan
Understanding the relationship between the benefits of LEDS in the major urban areas in Japan would serve as a good basis for the decision making, in particular in determining sectoral goals for limitation of GHG emissions growth or for setting absolute quantified goals for GHG emission reduction. The ten targeted cities which are evaluated in detail in this research are Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kawasaki, and Saitama. In the first phase of the research, activities will focus on evaluating the existing LEDS and clean energy policy developments, countermeasures and challenges in selected cities. In the second phase, activities will concentrate on designing strategic plans that achieve greater or broader benefits in selected cities.
Funded by: Hitachi Global Foundation, Japan (2019-2020)Quantitative Evaluation on Co-benefit Projects
The primary purpose of this project is to outline the steps that would be involved in quantifying the (environmental, public health, economic) co-benefits of two sets of model projects:
1) a heat only boiler project in Mongolia (only one with project scenario); and
2) a waste water management project in Indonesia (several with project scenarios)
Funded by: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, IGES, Japan (2019-2020)Assessing the multiple benefits of clean energy policies in Asian mega-cities
This research focuses on demonstrating how clean energy policies and LEDS can help achieving multiple energy, environmental, public health, and economic benefits cost-effectively in Asian mega-cities. To this aim, the specific target is set to design and develop an analytical approach which helps policymakers and relevant stakeholders to determine opportunities for LEDS and also to address the main relevant policy instruments available, based on the analysis of the practical experience with LEDS and related processes to date in their respective cities.
Funded by: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS Kakenhi C), (2016-2019)
Multiple Benefits Assessment of the Low Emission Development Strategies in Asia Pacific Cities
This research aims to develop and demonstrate a new strategic planning mechanism for achieving multiple benefits of Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) in Asia-Pacific cities, together with a robust analytical framework that can be used to assess those benefits during the development and implementation process.
The six global cities which are evaluated in detail in this research consists of: Tokyo, Sydney, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Delhi. In this research the focus would be on 'Buildings', 'Waste' and 'Transport' as the key sectors as they can offer substantial urban climate mitigation potential through the implementation of LEDS in the selected cities.
- Comparative Analysis (Urban Sustainable Development Index)
Clean energy scenario analysis in the city of Delhi
Modeling of thermal behavior of the Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) greenhouse
The utilization of photovoltaic technology and integrated systems have led to the development of solar greenhouses. The interest of the developers and designers is now to seek new approaches to combine the electricity and food production optimally. Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) are an emerging technology currently being developed for large scale manufacture and with the potential to be scaled to production speeds of megawatts per day. Yet low efficiency of the technologies may limit their deployment in certain regions due to the large land areas that would be required. Although organic photovoltaics have received huge interest in the academic literature, there has been limited analysis of the application of the technology.
In this research, a micro-simulation model created in TRNSYS software was employed for the simulation of thermal energy use in an innovative solar greenhouse with organic photovoltaic system. The model makes it possible to determine both the energy and the humidity balances in a greenhouse.
Simulation flow diagram
Funded by: In collaboration with the graduate school of energy science, Kyoto University (2015-2018)Techno-Economic Analysis of an innovative PV-Hydrogen-Biomass system for off-grid power supply
- Developing the Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) offer alternative energy options that could be considered as one of the executive policies to support the low carbon energy system in cities. This research investigates the Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) of an innovative HRES based on the integration of hydrogen generation from biomass gasification, solar power generation, hydrogen generation from water electrolysis, a hydrogen storage device and a Fuel Cell providing heat and power. The main unique concept of the proposed HRSE in this study is the combination of a Super Critical Water (SCW) biomass gasifier which uses water over its critical point as the gasifying agent with a fuel cell system. The SCW biomass gasifier is still in an early development stage and has an ability to use very wet biomass sources with a high gasification efficiency. The electric power and heat generated by this combination would not be affected by the weather, and could therefore be used in combination with photovoltaic modules, to form a composite energy system capable of all-weather operation. The originality of this study lies in the simultaneous optimization of the power and heat management strategy through the detailed modelling of the components of the proposed HRES in order to manage the time mismatch between energy production and load requirements.
TEA of the proposed HRES in a residential area in Fukushima prefecture
Funded by: Young Scientists（Start-up), Kyoto University, (2015-2016)
Toward a CO2 zero emission global energy system in the oil and gas producing countries
Climate change and energy security are global challenges requiring concerted attention and action by all of the world’s countries. Under these conditions, energy supplier and exporter countries in the Middle East region are experiencing further challenges, such as increasing domestic energy demand while energy exports have to concurrently be kept at high levels. Middle East countries process the largest proven oil and gas reserves in the world and contribute a large fraction of the world's CO2 emissions from the use of these as fuels both domestically and internationally. This research addresses different policies that could dramatically change the future course of the Middle East region towards a zero CO2 emission energy system. To this aim, an integrated energy supply-demand model has been developed to analyze required commitments include renewable energy and energy efficiency targets and the potential of nuclear power, all of which should need to be considered in order to reduce CO2 emissions by 2100.
- Integrated energy supply-demand modeling framework used in this research
The model interface
Zero emission scenario in the Middle East region
- Funded by: Global Center Of Excellence (GCOE) program at the graduate school of energy science, Kyoto University, (2012-2013)