Japanese general contractor Taisei has developed a technology to lock up carbon dioxide from the air in the process of making concrete, significantly reducing emissions of the greenhouse gas, Nikkei has learned.
Japanese fiber maker Omikenshi has developed a material used in run-flat tires that can be produced at roughly half the cost and with half the carbon emissions as the typical alternative.
A team of researchers from Kyoto University and Toyota Motor is making solid progress developing next-generation battery technology that has the potential to cram far more energy into a small, lightweight package than today's standard lithium-ion, or li-ion, batteries.
What is the future of batteries? From smartphones to drones to electric cars, the current source of energy is the lithium-ion battery. But startups in Japan are battling to create high-performance power packs that could become the next global standard.
Toshiba is set to roll out a hydrogen-powered fuel cell system capable of generating enough electricity to power 1,000 homes, or an entire factory or hospital in a boost to a government push of the zero-emission energy source.
Sanyo Chemical Industries' rechargeable battery made almost entirely of plastic is now powering an unmanned submarine by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in a test run, with the promise of doubling the vehicle's operation range to 16 hours.