CREST

Creation of Innovative Technologies to Control Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Strategic Sector

Creation of Innovative Technologies Related to Reducing Global warming in an Effort to Realize a Sustainable Society

Research Supervisor

Itaru Yasui (President, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation; Vice Rector Emeritus United Nations University)

Year Started

2008

Outline

This research area was chosen for the purpose of developing innovative technologies to be used chiefly to reduce CO2 emissions, with roughly twice the efficiency of existing technologies. The resulting technologies are to contribute to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which is in line with the proposals of the Japanese Government at Heilingendamn Summit, 2007. The research projects in this Area shall aim to create a low-carbon society, using new concepts and principles to achieve direct or indirect means of CO2 emission reduction, for example, technologies to realize dramatic performance improvements in renewable energy and technologies to dispose CO2 in an innovative manner.
　In specific terms, the research area covers all new energy technologies with the exception of nuclear power. Such technologies include: energy production and storage technologies that can fundamentally improve the efficiency of conventional products, technologies that bring innovative reductions in energy consumption - such as those utilizing new-concept solar cells, CO2 processing technologies, ocean energy and bio-energy technologies. Included also are carbon capture and sequestration technologies on the assumption that fossil fuels will continue to be used. Though the research area concentrates on the supply side of the energy chain, demand-side technologies are also considered to enable enhancement of energy efficiency. Therefore, projects in this area will be accepted if they are innovative and promise high social impact.
　We expect to receive research proposals of fundamental research with definite targets that would bring innovation to the industrial structure and energy infrastructure of future society. When making the proposal, the applicant must provide a quantitative scenario in terms of the expected emission reduction in million tons if the technology concerned is to be commercialized in about 2020 to 2030 or so.