Fumio Ohtsubo   President of Panasonic Corporation


1.Foreword

In 1978, then Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping visited our company, and requested that our founder, Konosuke Matsushita, provide assistance in modernizing China, employing the electronics technology of Japan.

Responding to this request, we first provided technical cooperation, and in the latter half of the 1980s, we began to make direct investments. And currently, our Panasonic Group has 80 companies doing business in China, employing about 100,000 people.

Also, in May 2008, President Hu Jintao came to Japan and paid a visit to our company. At that time, he talked about the meeting that took place 30 years ago, and he urgently requested that we contribute to China in the energy-saving and environmental conservation areas in the coming years, making the best use of the technology and experience which Panasonic possesses.

2. Announced our commitment to being a “Model Company” in making an environmental contribution in China

In May of last year, we held the "Panasonic China Environmental Forum 2009" in Beijing, and we announced our commitment to being a "model company" in making an environmental contribution in China.

As a first step in meeting the request of President Hu Jintao, it would be a great honor for us if our environmental technology as well as our know-how and initiatives were made use of widely in China.

Actually, we are not just working on various initiatives in our business operations, but we are also promoting tree-planting activities and offering children environmental education through the efforts of our employees all across China.

As we are explaining some of these activities at the “Panasonic Center” in Beijing, I sincerely hope that you will have an opportunity to pay a visit there in the near future.

In addition, as the next step, we are now giving special attention to environmentally-related businesses. Today, in particular, I would like to make a proposal on “living with virtually zero CO2 emissions.”



3. The urban construction will actively commit to realizing a low-carbon society

When we work on urban construction projects in the coming years, I believe that we need to carry out an ambitious program to realize a low-carbon society.

In this respect, one of our main challenges is to reduce CO2 emissions produced in the home. Over the past few years, our company has been working to realize “living with virtually zero CO2 emissions for the entire home.”

The following items will play an important role in this effort:

- "Energy creation" which is made possible through our own efforts;
- "Energy storage" which stores the energy that has been created;
- "Energy saving" which is realized by using products which consume less energy; and
- "Energy management systems" which coordinate the above three items and improve     overall energy efficiency.



4. The “Energy Management” which can improve the energy utilization

1) The “Energy Creation” which can create energy

As for "energy creation," I believe that the first thing that comes to mind is solar cells.
In Asia, solar cells have not yet come into such wide use as in Europe. But as the conversion efficiency of solar cells improves in the coming years, I believe that they will be installed more widely in condominiums and office buildings.

The picture on the right shows our "home-use fuel cells."

This system combines hydrogen taken from city gas and oxygen from the air, and generates electricity and hot water.

We believe that if both of these systems are used together, we will be able to have stable "energy generation" without any effect from the weather.



2）The “Energy Storage” which can store the energy created

As for "energy storage," the "lithium-ion rechargeable batteries" which are being used for mobile phones and PCs will play an important role in the coming years.

By greatly improving the capacity of our rechargeable batteries, we are now working to develop home-use equipment which can store electricity created by solar cells and fuel cells.

Also, as a back-up power source for airports, hospitals, traffic control systems, and the like, and as a power source for vehicles, these batteries will find much wider use.
 

 

3）The “Energy Saving” which can curb energy consumption of products

As you are well aware, "energy-saving" technology is making progress day by day. By using our technologies, such as our inverter technology, we are also working to develop energy-saving products.

The power consumption of the latest energy-saving home appliances has been reduced to about half as compared to the products introduced just a few years ago.

Through the use of energy-saving home appliances, power consumption in our homes and offices will be greatly reduced.



5. Proposing “living with virtually zero CO2 emissions for the entire home” 

At our showroom,‘eco ideas’ House, by combining the products and technologies which I have just explained, we are making specific proposals for "living with virtually zero CO2 emissions for the entire home."

We have already received as many as 50,000 visitors to our showroom. And we have been told by those visiting that they have been pleased, as they have been able to get a firsthand experience of a new lifestyle that is a step ahead of the times.

When you come over to Tokyo, I sincerely hope that you will pay a visit to our showroom.
In Beijing this month, we set up a "model room which offers comprehensive green solutions for the entire home."



6. Realization of Virtualization the flow of Energy by Connecting all the Facilities in the cities
If we expand our initiative in providing "solutions for the entire home," it will offer
even greater possibilities.

Under the theme of "building a green town," we have recently begun to promote collaboration with several cities. We have made necessary arrangements to “visualize the flow of energy” by connecting all the facilities in the town, facilities such as condominiums, commercial buildings, and stores, and we are currently carrying out verification tests with a view to realizing energy management for the entire town.



7.Afterword



As for "living with virtually zero CO2 emissions" which I have talked about today, and "living surrounded by recycling-oriented products" and also "living with the widespread use of eco cars," I believe that in the coming years, various activities will be carried out in order to realize this way of living around the world.

I would like to make a proposal that the City of Beijing take the initiative and lead this effort in China.

It is ordinary people that will actually change our way of living, but it is also true that unless the government gives some support, things will not change easily. For instance, in addition to the "Energy-saving Products Huimin Project" and the "Home Appliance Replacement Project," it would be helpful if you would consider a special energy-saving incentive project for the City of Beijing, a program for households and buildings.

Also, I would like to make a proposal for an initiative to increase the energy-saving awareness of the people in the City of Beijing by setting up a permanent display site to include things such as energy-saving equipment and energy-saving building materials.